Soileau
A French surname, most likely a regional or nickname-based name that came into English through French-speaking communities, especially in Louisiana.
The #8,232 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 76,669 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Soileau appears to be a French surname, likely from a regional French naming pattern rather than a transparently modern word. The ending -eau is common in French surnames, but the first element is not straightforward enough to give a single secure meaning without a local historical source. In English-speaking records it is usually treated as a Louisiana French or Acadian family name.
History
The surname is especially associated with French-speaking North American families, where it is found in Louisiana and other communities shaped by Acadian and colonial French settlement. In many cases, surnames of this type preserve older regional French spellings that were later stabilized in American records. Because the form is not easily analyzable today, its exact origin is best treated cautiously.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In U.S. records, surnames ending in -eau often reflect French spellings that survived long after pronunciation and spelling began to shift in English usage.