Find out how popular the last name Vy is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Vy.

Vy, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Vy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Vy in America

Vy is the 39212th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Vy surname appeared 561 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Vy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Vy to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Vy

The surname "Vy" is believed to have originated in the region of Brittany, France, during the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old Breton word "vy," which means "small" or "little." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive nickname for someone of short stature.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Vy" can be found in the "Armorial Général de France," a heraldic register compiled in the late 17th century. This document lists several individuals bearing the surname "Vy," indicating that the name had already established itself in Brittany by that time.

In the 14th century, a nobleman named Jean Vy was recorded as a landowner in the village of Plouguerneau, located in the northwestern region of Brittany. This is one of the earliest known examples of the name being associated with a specific individual and location.

During the 16th century, a prominent figure named Olivier Vy (1510-1573) gained recognition as a skilled architect and sculptor in Brittany. He is credited with designing several notable churches and buildings in the region, including the Church of Saint-Méloir in Morlaix.

Another notable bearer of the surname was Jacques Vy (1623-1698), a French Jesuit missionary who traveled to Canada and worked among the indigenous populations of New France. His writings and accounts from his time in North America provide valuable insights into the cultural interactions between the French colonists and the Native American tribes.

In the realm of literature, the 19th-century French author and journalist Adolphe Vy (1825-1892) made significant contributions to the development of the literary movement known as Naturalism. His works, which focused on depicting the harsh realities of everyday life, were influential in shaping the literary landscape of his time.

While the surname "Vy" originated in Brittany, it has since spread to other regions of France and beyond, with variations in spelling and pronunciation emerging over time. However, the name's roots can be traced back to the small coastal region of northwestern France, where it first gained recognition and became associated with individuals who left their mark on the local history and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Vy

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Vy.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Vy was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Vy has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Vy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Vy, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!