Larence
A masculine name derived from the Latin name "Laurentius," meaning "from Laurentum."
Name Census estimates that about 376 living Americans carry the first name Larence. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Larence today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Larence births was 1927 (37 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Larence. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Larence is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Larences were born before 1968.
People living today
376
~ 1 in 911,581 Americans
Peak year
1927
37 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
2014 SSA rank
#11,557
Tracked since 1886
Popularity
Larence: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Larence from the 1880s through to the 2010s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 276 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Larence by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Larence during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Larences live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Tennessee, Arkansas, North Carolina recorded the most babies named Larence, while South Carolina, Texas, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Larence
The name Larence is believed to have originated from the Latin name Laurentius, which itself is derived from the word "laurus," meaning laurel or bay tree. This suggests that the name has its roots in ancient Roman culture, where laurel wreaths were often used as symbols of victory and honor.
During the early days of Christianity, the name Laurentius was borne by several notable individuals, including St. Laurentius, a deacon of the Roman Church who was martyred in 258 AD. His sacrifice and devotion to the faith played a significant role in the widespread adoption of the name across Europe.
As the name spread, it underwent various spelling variations, with Larence emerging as one of the more common forms. In England, the earliest recorded instance of the name Larence dates back to the 12th century, where it appears in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and property holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Larence. One of the earliest was Larence of Durham (c. 1100 - c. 1154), an English Benedictine monk and hagiographer who wrote the biographies of several saints. Another prominent figure was Larence of Brindisi (1559 - 1619), an Italian Capuchin friar and theologian who was renowned for his oratorical skills and diplomatic efforts.
In the realm of literature, Larence Sterne (1713 - 1768) was an Irish novelist and Anglican clergyman best known for his satirical novel "The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman." Larence Olivier (1907 - 1989), the celebrated English actor and director, is widely regarded as one of the greatest performers of the 20th century, winning numerous accolades for his work on stage and screen.
Lastly, Larence Ferlinghetti (1919 - 2021) was an American poet, painter, and publisher, who played a pivotal role in the San Francisco Renaissance literary movement and co-founded the iconic City Lights Bookstore, which became a gathering place for Beat Generation writers and artists.
People
Larence + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Larence as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Larence: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Larence?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 376 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Larence going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 911,581 US residents.
Is Larence a common name?
We classify Larence as "Very Rare". It ranks above 81.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,096 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Larence most popular?
The single biggest year for Larence was 1927, when 37 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Larence is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Larence a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Larence in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.