Explore the Family Name Boileau
The meaning of Boileau
French: nickname from Old French bois l’eau ‘drink water’ (from the Old French verb boire ‘to drink’ + the definite article l’ + eau ‘water’), hence a nickname, probably ironic, for a heavy drinker or a teetotaler, or perhaps for someone who disliked ale (the usual everyday drink in medieval Europe), or wine; compare English Drinkwater. The surname Boileau is also found in Britain. Compare also Bilow and Ballou 2. History: Pierre Boileau from Poitiers in Vienne, France, married Marguerite Ménard in Boucherville, QC, in 1706. — In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Joseph-Marie Poissant dit Boileau (a grandson of Jacques Poissant from France; see Poissant), who married Anne Demers in Saint-Philippe-de-Laprairie, QC, in 1780. — An English and Irish family called Boileau is descended from Étienne Boileau, who was governor of Paris under Louis IX in 1255. A number of the family later became Huguenots. Charles Boileau (1673–1733) was a senior commander in the forces under the Duke of Marlborough, and his sons settled in Dublin. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Jacques, Marcel, Michel, Agathe, Alphonse, Andre, Edouard, Emile, Francois, Leonide, Marie Claude.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Boileau in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Boileau experienced a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. Ranked at 26,419 in 2000, it fell to 27,452 in 2010, marking a decrease of 3.91%. Despite this shift in rank, the count of people with the surname increased marginally from 869 to 878, a growth of 1.04%. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, there was a small dip of 6.25%, moving from 0.32 to 0.3.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #26,419 | #27,452 | -3.91% |
| Count | 869 | 878 | 1.04% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.32 | 0.3 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Boileau
In terms of ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows a dynamic picture for those carrying the Boileau surname. In the decade between 2000 and 2010, the percentage of people identifying as White decreased by 5.1%, from 95.17% to 90.32%. This was accompanied by significant increases in both Hispanic and Black ethnic identities, which grew by 147.83% and 155.61% respectively. Data regarding Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native ethnicities was consistently suppressed (S) for privacy reasons. Additionally, the percentage of people identifying with two or more races rose by 38.26%, increasing from 1.15% to 1.59%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.17% | 90.32% | -5.1% |
| Black | 1.96% | 5.01% | 155.61% |
| Hispanic | 0.92% | 2.28% | 147.83% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.59% | 38.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |