Explore the Family Name St. Jean
The meaning of St. Jean
1. French (mainly southwestern; Saint-Jean): habitational name from any of several places in various parts of France named Saint-Jean (from the dedication of their churches to Saint John), or a nickname with the prefix Saint as an (ironic) attachment to the personal name or surname Jean; this was one of the most common nicknames (noms de guerre) among French soldiers (see Lafleur). Compare Saintjean. 2. Haitian (also Saint-Jean): from Saint-Jean, a nickname, ornamental name, or personal name composed of the French prefix Saint and the personal name Jean, or perhaps a habitational name from a place in Haiti called Saint-Jean (compare 1 above). History: In North America, the surname in 1 above was originally (also) a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by several 17th- and 18th-century French Canadians. Jean-Baptiste Laperche dit Saint-Jean from Saint-Martin-de-Goyne in Gers, France, married Françoise Émery in Boucherville, QC, in 1700. Jean Anctil dit Saint-Jean from Ducey in Manche, France, married Marguerite Lévesque in Rivière-Ouelle, QC, in 1738 (see also Anctil). Jean-Louis Delubac dit Saint-Jean from Saint-Esprit in Haute-Garonne, France, married Élisabeth Supernant in Longueuil, QC, in 1773. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Adelard, Andre, Jacques, Marcel, Jean Claude, Micheline, Normand, Aldor, Antoine, Benoit, Chanel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name St. Jean in the United States?
The surname St. Jean saw a slight increase in popularity between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, it was ranked the 9,761st most popular surname, but by 2010 it had moved up to 9,687th. This represents a change of approximately 0.76%. The number of individuals with this surname also increased during this period, from 3,056 to 3,350 people, marking a growth rate of 9.62%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,761 | #9,687 | 0.76% |
| Count | 3,056 | 3,350 | 9.62% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.13 | 1.14 | 0.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name St. Jean
Looking at ethnicity, the St. Jean surname showed varied changes between 2000 and 2010, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. Individuals identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native saw modest increases in representation among persons with this surname, rising by 12.50% and 9.09% respectively. Those identifying as Black saw a significant increase, rising from 20.39% to 27.58%, an increase of 35.26%. The largest increase was seen in those identifying as Hispanic, which rose from 0.75% to 1.76%, a jump of 134.67%. However, there were decreases in representation among those identifying as White (down 7.48%) and those identifying Two or more races (down 66.26%).
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 74.31% | 68.75% | -7.48% |
| Black | 20.39% | 27.58% | 35.26% |
| Hispanic | 0.75% | 1.76% | 134.67% |
| Two or More Races | 4.06% | 1.37% | -66.26% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.33% | 0.36% | 9.09% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.16% | 0.18% | 12.5% |