Explore the Family Name Bellegarde
The meaning of Bellegarde
French (mainly southwestern): habitational name from (La) Bellegarde or (La) Belle Garde, names of several places in various parts of France, e.g. Bellegarde-du-Gard, named with Old French garde ‘watch, protection’ (see Garde) and designating a stronghold. This surname is also found in Haiti. Compare Belgard and Belgarde.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bellegarde in the United States?
According to data obtained from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Bellegarde has seen a significant rise in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, its rank stood at 70,679 but climbed to 58,876 by 2010 suggesting an approximate increase of 16.7%. Similarly, the count for this surname increased by 33.33%, rising from 258 to 344 within the same decade. The proportion per 100,000 also grew by 20%, moving from 0.1 to 0.12.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #70,679 | #58,876 | 16.7% |
| Count | 258 | 344 | 33.33% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.1 | 0.12 | 20% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bellegarde
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data indicates that individuals with the surname Bellegarde have diverse ethnic identities. In 2000, the largest portion identified as White (56.2%) and Black (34.5%), with a small percentage identifying with two or more races (6.2%). By 2010, there was a notable shift in these percentages. Although those identifying as Black saw an increase to 46.22%, the percentage of those identifying as White decreased to 45.93%. Those claiming two or more races fell slightly to 4.94%. Interestingly, a new category emerged in 2010 with 1.74% identifying as Hispanic. There were no respondents who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 34.5% | 46.22% | 33.97% |
| White | 56.2% | 45.93% | -18.27% |
| Two or More Races | 6.2% | 4.94% | -20.32% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.74% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |