Explore the Family Name Garneau
The meaning of Garneau
French: from the ancient Germanic personal name Warinwald, composed of the elements warin ‘protection, shelter’ or ‘guard’ + wald ‘power, authority’. Compare Garno. History: Louis Garneau from La Grimaudière in Vienne, France, married Marie Mazoue in Quebec City, QC, in 1663. His descendants also bear an altered form of the surname, Garno. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Emile, Lucien, Marcel, Armand, Pierre, Aldea, Alphonse, Benoit, Fernand, Gilles, Jean-Luc.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Garneau in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Garneau has slightly decreased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 18,551 in terms of popularity, but by 2010, it had dropped to a rank of 19,896, reflecting a decline of 7.25 percent. The count of individuals with this surname also saw a slight drop from 1,372 in 2000 to 1,350 in 2010, showing a decrease of 1.6 percent. The proportion of the name Garneau per 100,000 people fell by 9.8 percent, moving from 0.51 in 2000 to 0.46 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,551 | #19,896 | -7.25% |
| Count | 1,372 | 1,350 | -1.6% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.51 | 0.46 | -9.8% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Garneau
Regarding the ethnicity associated with the Garneau surname, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that most bearers of the name identify as White. However, there have been changes over the decade. In 2000, 96.28 percent identified as White, decreasing to 94.89 percent by 2010. The representation of multiple ethnic identities increased, going from 1.24 percent to 1.48 percent, which is an increase of 19.35 percent. Hispanic representation also saw a notable increase of 85 percent, from 0.80 percent in 2000 to 1.48 percent in 2010. Meanwhile, those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native remained relatively stable at just over one percent. There were also new representations of Asian/Pacific Islander and Black ethnicities within the Garneau surname community in 2010, where there had been none reported in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.28% | 94.89% | -1.44% |
| Two or More Races | 1.24% | 1.48% | 19.35% |
| Hispanic | 0.8% | 1.48% | 85% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.02% | 1.04% | 1.96% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.59% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0.52% | 0% |