2000
#9,656
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,088
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.14
Rare Last name
Labarge
A French topographic surname referring to someone living near a shelter or hut, derived from "la barge."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,584 Americans carry the last name Labarge. That puts it at #9,874 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 95,635 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Labarge surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
3.6K
1 in 95,635
Census rank
#9,874
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,125 bearers of the surname Labarge in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9874th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Labarge, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Labarge
The surname LABARGE originated in France and traces its roots back to the medieval era. It derives from the Old French word "barge," which referred to a type of flat-bottomed boat or barge commonly used for transporting goods along rivers and canals. The name likely emerged as an occupational surname for individuals involved in operating or ferrying barges.
In the 12th century, the name appears in various records and manuscripts, including the Parisian tax rolls from 1292, which mention a "Jehan la Barge." This early reference suggests the name's establishment in the Île-de-France region surrounding Paris.
Over time, the name spread to other parts of France, with variations in spelling emerging, such as Labarge, Lebarge, and Labargue. These variations likely arose from regional dialects and scribal errors in record-keeping.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Jean Labarge, a merchant from Rouen born around 1410. He is mentioned in records from the city's guild of merchants, indicating the family's involvement in trade and commerce during that period.
Another notable figure was Pierre Labarge, a renowned architect from Paris who lived from 1532 to 1602. He was responsible for the design and construction of several notable buildings, including the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) in Paris.
During the 17th century, the name appears in records from the French colony of Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia, Canada). Jacques Labarge, born in 1643 in Port-Royal, was among the early settlers of the region and is considered one of the progenitors of the Labarge family in North America.
In the 18th century, François Labarge (1720-1798) was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Blois, located in the Loire Valley region of France. He amassed considerable wealth through his business ventures and left a lasting impact on the local economy.
Another noteworthy figure was Marie-Anne Labarge (1785-1865), a French painter and artist known for her portraits and landscape paintings. She studied under the renowned Jacques-Louis David and exhibited her works at the prestigious Paris Salon.
Throughout its history, the surname LABARGE has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, artisans, and professionals, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bore this name across different regions and time periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Labarge
Among Census respondents with the surname Labarge, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Labarge bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Labarge surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.4% · 2,730
- American Indian and Alaska Native4.7% · 148
- Two or more races4.3% · 134
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
- Black or African American0.3% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Labarge
Labarge appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,890
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,270
+182 bearers (+5.9%)
Per 100,000 1.11
Rank movement Down 234 places
2020
#9,874
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,125
-145 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 1.05
Rank movement Up 16 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,656 | 3,088 | 1.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,890 | 3,270 | 1.11 | +182 bearers (+5.9%) | Down 234 places |
| 2020 | #9,874 | 3,125 | 1.05 | -145 bearers (-4.4%) | Up 16 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Labarge surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,890 | #9,874 | 0.2% |
| Count | 3,270 | 3,125 | -4.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.11 | 1.05 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Labarge bearers went from 3,270 to 3,125 (-4.4% change). The surname moved up 16 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,890 to #9,874.
FAQ
Labarge surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Labarge?
Name Census estimates that about 3,584 living Americans carry the surname Labarge. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 95,635 residents.
How common is Labarge?
Labarge ranks #9,874 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,125 people with the surname Labarge. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,584), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Labarge.
Has Labarge become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Labarge went from 3,270 recorded bearers to 3,125. That is a decrease of 145 (-4.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,890 to #9,874.
What does the Census say about the background of Labarge?
Among Census respondents with the surname Labarge, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.4%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (4.7%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Labarge in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.4% (2,730 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Labarge appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.4%), American Indian/Alaska Native (4.7%), Two or More Races (4.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Labarge (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Labarge mean?
A French topographic surname referring to someone living near a shelter or hut, derived from "la barge." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Labarge (1.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Labarge?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.