Explore the Family Name Bellemare
The meaning of Bellemare
French Canadian: topographic name from French belle mare ‘beautiful pool’. The surname Bellemare is also found in Martinique and also in France, where it is very rare and may also be a habitational name from Bellemare or (La) Belle Mare, names of several places in France. Compare Bellemore, Bellmore, Belmar, Belmer, and Belmore. History: In North America, this surname was originally a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Jean-Baptiste Gélinas dit Bellemare (a grandson of Étienne Gélinas/Gélineau from France; see Gelinas), who married Marie-Jeanne Boisonneau in QC in 1700. His descendants also bear altered forms of the dit name, mentioned above. Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Jacques, Pierre, Alcide, Dominique, Francois, Germain, Gilles, Laurent, Michel, Normand, Valmore.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Bellemare in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Bellemare saw a marginal shift between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 39,304 in popularity, with 527 individuals bearing the name. By 2010, it had slipped slightly in rank to 39,486, albeit with a slight increase in count to 557 individuals, representing a growth of 5.69%. The proportion of people named Bellemare per 100k decreased by 5% over this period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,304 | #39,486 | -0.46% |
| Count | 527 | 557 | 5.69% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.19 | -5% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Bellemare
In terms of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates that the majority of those with the surname Bellemare identified as White in both years. This group accounted for 98.10% of all Bellemare's in 2000 and 97.67% in 2010, marking a minor decrease of 0.44%. No individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year. There was a noticeable change in those identifying as Hispanic, from none in 2000 to 1.26% in 2010. Meanwhile, the percentage of those identifying as two or more races dropped from 0.95% in 2000 to zero in 2010. No individuals with the surname Bellemare identified as Black in either census year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 98.1% | 97.67% | -0.44% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.26% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 0.95% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |