Croteau
A French surname most often linked to a place-name or topographic nickname, especially in French Canada.
The #7,361 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 68,231 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Croteau is a French surname, most likely formed from an old French place-name or from a topographic nickname tied to a local landscape feature. In many cases, surnames of this type ultimately point to where the first bearer lived or to a small locality known by a name like Croteau. The exact root is not certain from broad onomastic evidence alone, so the name is best treated as a French toponymic surname.
History
The surname is especially associated with French-speaking populations in Canada, where many French surnames were carried over from France and preserved after settlement in New France. It appears in North American records in forms like Croteau and related spellings, reflecting normal French orthographic variation. Today it is found mainly in Quebec and other parts of French Canada, as well as among descendants in the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Despite its French appearance, Croteau is relatively uncommon in the United States but remains a recognizable surname in French-Canadian family lines.