Explore the Family Name Napoleon
The meaning of Napoleon
1. French (Napoléon) and Spanish (Napoleón): from a personal name of Italian origin (see Napoleone). It was made famous by the French Emperor Napoleon (1769–1821; see Bonaparte). 2. Haitian (Napoléon): from Napoléon, a nickname or French personal name of the same origin as 1 above, as a nickname referring to the French Emperor Napoleon. Some characteristic forenames: French/Haitian Armand, Berthony, Dominique, Germaine, Jacques, Jean Francois, Maryse, Mireille, Monique, Serge. Italian Angelo, Rocco, Rosaria.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Napoleon in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Napoleon has seen a rise in popularity in the United States over the decade from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 13,005th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had risen to the 11,928th position, reflecting an increase of 8.28%. The count of people bearing this surname also increased from 2,161 in 2000 to 2,624 in 2010, marking a significant increase of 21.43%. The proportion of the population with the surname Napoleon per 100,000 people also grew by 11.25%, from 0.8 to 0.89.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,005 | #11,928 | 8.28% |
| Count | 2,161 | 2,624 | 21.43% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.8 | 0.89 | 11.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Napoleon
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Napoleon also shifted between 2000 and 2010, according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. The highest percentage change was observed among those identifying as Black, which increased from 38.92% to 42.91%, showing a growth of 10.25%. Similarly, the proportion of individuals identifying as Hispanic saw an increase of 11.04%. However, there were declines noted among those who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander and White, with decreases of 26.38% and 8.49% respectively. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races slightly increased by 5.33%, while the portion identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 8.41%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 38.92% | 42.91% | 10.25% |
| White | 34.61% | 31.67% | -8.49% |
| Hispanic | 8.24% | 9.15% | 11.04% |
| Two or More Races | 7.13% | 7.51% | 5.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 7.77% | 5.72% | -26.38% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 3.33% | 3.05% | -8.41% |