Explore the Family Name Barbeau
The meaning of Barbeau
French: 1. from barbeau ‘barbel’, a type of fish, hence a metonymic occupational name for a fisherman, or a nickname for a man with a sparse beard, the fish being distinguished by beardlike growths on either side of its mouth. 2. nickname from a derivative of Old French, Occitan barbel ‘point’, ‘tooth’. Compare Barber 6 and Barbo 4. History: André Barbeau dit Laforest from the Poitou region of France is documented in Quebec City, QC, in 1669. François Barbeau from the Poitou region of France is documented in Quebec City, QC, in 1671. Jean Barbeau dit Boisdoré from the Saintonge region of France is documented in Boucherville, QC, in 1686. Joseph Barbeau dit Poitevin from the Poitou region of France is documented in Lachenaie, QC, in 1690. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Pierre, Monique, Alcide, Alphonse, Amiee, Armand, Gisele, Jean Francois, Lucien, Lucienne, Michel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Barbeau in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Barbeau underwent a slight decline from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Barbeau ranked as the 14,328th most popular surname in the United States but dropped by 4.63% to 14,991st place in 2010. Despite this decrease in ranking, the absolute count of individuals with the surname increased by 2.82%, from 1,917 in 2000 to 1,971 in 2010. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a small drop from 0.71 to 0.67.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,328 | #14,991 | -4.63% |
| Count | 1,917 | 1,971 | 2.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.71 | 0.67 | -5.63% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Barbeau
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Barbeau. Over the decade from 2000 to 2010, there was an increase in the proportions of Asian/Pacific Islander (from 0.83% to 0.96%), Hispanic (from 1.98% to 3.15%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (from 0.37% to 0.61%) identities. Conversely, there were minor decreases in the representations of those identifying as White (from 91.86% to 90.56%), Black (from 2.71% to 2.59%), and those of two or more races (from 2.24% to 2.13%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 91.86% | 90.56% | -1.42% |
| Hispanic | 1.98% | 3.15% | 59.09% |
| Black | 2.71% | 2.59% | -4.43% |
| Two or More Races | 2.24% | 2.13% | -4.91% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.83% | 0.96% | 15.66% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.37% | 0.61% | 64.86% |