Explore the Family Name Eugene
The meaning of Eugene
1. French (Eugène); West Indian (in Haiti, Martinique, and Guadeloupe Eugène): from the French personal name Eugène, Latin Eugenius, from Greek Eugenios, a derivative of eugenēs ‘well-born, noble’. The name Eugenios or Eugenius was borne by a 3rd-century bishop and martyr, who gave the personal name some currency during the Middle Ages, as well as by several other early Christian saints and four popes. This surname is most common in Haiti. 2. Americanized form of Greek patronymics from the personal name Evgenios, from classical Greek Eugenios ‘Eugene’ (see 1 above), for example Evgeniadis or Evgenidis. Some characteristic forenames: French/Haitian Jacques, Gesner, Lucienne, Yanick, Alphonse, Amie, Andre, Dany, Edwige, Jean Marc, Jean-Robert, Lafontant.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Eugene in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Eugene has grown in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname moved up from 9436 to 7870, marking a significant increase of 16.6%. Similarly, the count of individuals with the surname Eugene rose from 3160 to 4205, an impressive growth of 33.07%. The proportion of the surname per 100,000 people also increased by 22.22%, reaching 1.43 in 2010 from 1.17 in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,436 | #7,870 | 16.6% |
| Count | 3,160 | 4,205 | 33.07% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.17 | 1.43 | 22.22% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Eugene
In terms of ethnicity, data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals distinct shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Eugene over the decade. The most prevalent ethnic identity was Black, which saw an increase from 77.37% in 2000 to 84.71% in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander identity also experienced a significant increase of 90.91%. On the other hand, the percentage of those identifying as part of two or more races decreased notably from 6.30% to 2.02%. There was also a slight decrease for Hispanic identity and American Indian and Alaskan Native, whereas the percentage of Eugene's identifying as White fell by 28.75%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 77.37% | 84.71% | 9.49% |
| White | 12.28% | 8.75% | -28.75% |
| Hispanic | 2.75% | 2.71% | -1.45% |
| Two or More Races | 6.3% | 2.02% | -67.94% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.66% | 1.26% | 90.91% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.63% | 0.55% | -12.7% |