Explore the Family Name Viau
The meaning of Viau
French: variant of Vial. Compare Vieau, Vieu, and Vieux. History: Jacques Viau dit Lespérance from Clisson in Loire-Atlantique, Brittany (France), married Madeleine Plouard in Montreal, QC, in 1670. Jean Viau from Ozillac in Charente-Maritime, France, married Françoise Prévost in Montreal, QC, in 1711. Some characteristic forenames: French Marcel, Pierre, Albertine, Andre, Armand, Edouard, Francois, Gaston, Gilles, Gisele, Jean Marie, Jean-Paul.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Viau in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Viau has witnessed a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. The ranking of this surname improved from 22,891 in 2000 to 22,301 in 2010, marking a change of 2.58 percent. The number of instances of this surname also increased by 10.73 percent, rising from 1,044 in 2000 to 1,156 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100,000 people remained stable at 0.39.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #22,891 | #22,301 | 2.58% |
| Count | 1,044 | 1,156 | 10.73% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.39 | 0.39 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Viau
The ethnicity breakdown for the surname Viau, according to the Decennial U.S. Census, highlights a few shifts over the same decade. In 2000, a large majority (92.91%) identified as white, which slightly declined to 90.22% in 2010. There were increases noted among those identifying as two or more races (from 1.25% to 2.77%), Hispanic (from 1.63% to 2.25%), and Black (from 3.07% to 3.81%). Ethnicities such as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native appeared in the 2010 data but were absent or suppressed (for privacy) in the 2000 dataset.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.91% | 90.22% | -2.9% |
| Black | 3.07% | 3.81% | 24.1% |
| Two or More Races | 1.25% | 2.77% | 121.6% |
| Hispanic | 1.63% | 2.25% | 38.04% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.52% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.43% | 0% |