Explore the Family Name Descoteaux
The meaning of Descoteaux
French Canadian: topographic name, with fused preposition and definite article des ‘from the’, from the plural of coteau ‘hillside’, also ‘vineyard’; or perhaps a habitational name for someone from Les Coteaux, the name of several places in the northern part of France, named with this word. Compare Decato and Decoteau. History: In North America, this surname was originally a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by Ange Lefebvre dit Descoteaux (a son of Pierre Lefebvre from France; see Lefebvre), who married Marie-Madeleine Cusson in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC, in 1680. His descendants also bear altered forms of the surname, such as Decato and Decoteau. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Fernand, Renald, Adelard, Armand, Cecile, Clovis, Germaine, Gilles, Gratien, Henri, Herve.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Descoteaux in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Descoteaux has seen a slight decrease in the decade between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Descoteaux was ranked as the 28,824th most popular surname, however it dropped to the 30,630th position by 2010, reflecting a change of -6.27%. Despite this drop in rank, the actual count of people bearing the surname only decreased slightly from 777 in 2000 to 761 by 2010, a modest decline of -2.06%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #28,824 | #30,630 | -6.27% |
| Count | 777 | 761 | -2.06% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.29 | 0.26 | -10.34% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Descoteaux
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Descoteaux has diversified over the same period. As per the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, in 2000, an overwhelming majority of those bearing the surname Descoteaux identified as White (97.55%). However, by 2010 there was a slight shift, with the percentage identifying as White dropping to 94.74%, while the proportion identifying as Hispanic increased significantly from 0.77% in 2000 to 2.23% by 2010. There was also an increase in those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander from 0.64% to 0.92% and a new category emerged with 1.58% identifying as being of two or more races. The proportions identifying as Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native remained unchanged.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.55% | 94.74% | -2.88% |
| Hispanic | 0.77% | 2.23% | 189.61% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.58% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.64% | 0.92% | 43.75% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |