Explore the Family Name Preval

The meaning of Preval

French and Haitian (Préval): topographic name from pré (du) val ‘meadow of the valley’. This surname is very rare in France. It was brought to the US mainly from Haiti, and also from Cuba and the Dominican Republic, where it is of Haitian origin.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Preval in the United States?

According to the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Preval has significantly increased between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, its rank stood at 69,854, but by 2010 it had improved to 52,037, a 25.51% increase. The count of individuals bearing this surname also saw a substantial surge from 262 in 2000 to 399 in 2010, marking an impressive 52.29% rise. This growth is highlighted by the proportion per 100k changes, which moved up from 0.1 in 2000 to 0.14 in 2010, indicating a 40% increase.

20002010Change
Rank#69,854#52,03725.51%
Count26239952.29%
Proportion per 100k0.10.1440%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Preval

Turning to the ethnicity correlated with the surname Preval, the same Decennial U.S. Census data reveals interesting shifts over the decade. The largest ethnic group identified with the surname Preval was Black, increasing from 74.05% in 2000 to 78.70% in 2010. The Hispanic demographic also experienced a modest increase from 16.79% in 2000 to 18.55% in 2010. The group identifying as two or more races, however, saw a significant decrease from 7.25% to 2.01%. Meanwhile, neither Asian/Pacific Islander nor American Indian and Alaskan Native groups were associated with the surname Preval in either year. The White demographic was documented in 2000 with 1.91%, but the data was suppressed in 2010 for privacy reasons.

20002010Change
Black74.05%78.7%6.28%
Hispanic16.79%18.55%10.48%
Two or More Races7.25%2.01%-72.28%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
White1.91%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%