Labute
A French surname derived from the phrase "la butte" meaning "the hill".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Labute. That puts it at #122,314 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Labute surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#122,314
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
141
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 141 bearers of the surname Labute in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 122314th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Labute, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Labute
The surname LABUTE is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It dates back to the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old French word "but," which referred to a boundary or limit, possibly indicating that the original bearer lived near a boundary or border area.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LABUTE can be found in a medieval document from the city of Rouen, dated around 1260. This document mentions a certain "Jehan LaBute" who was a landowner in the region. Another early reference to the name appears in the Cartulaire de Notre-Dame de Paris, a collection of charters and records related to the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, from the late 13th century, where a "Guillaume LaBute" is mentioned as a resident of the city.
During the 14th and 15th centuries, the LABUTE name began to spread across various regions of France, with records showing individuals bearing the name in places like Normandy, Picardy, and the Île-de-France region surrounding Paris. One notable figure from this period was Jean LABUTE, a merchant and alderman who lived in Rouen in the late 15th century.
As the centuries progressed, the LABUTE name continued to be found in various parts of France, with some variations in spelling, such as LaBute, Labute, and LaButte. In the 17th century, a prominent individual named Pierre LABUTE was a successful merchant and landowner in the city of Bordeaux.
In the 18th century, the LABUTE name gained recognition with the birth of François-René LABUTE (1707-1780), a celebrated French architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Hôtel de Salm and the Chapelle de la Vierge at the Church of Saint-Sulpice.
Another notable figure from this period was Jean-Baptiste LABUTE (1745-1826), a French playwright and author who wrote numerous comedies and satires that were popular in his time. He was also known for his work as a journalist and editor of several literary publications.
As the LABUTE name spread beyond France, it can be found in various other countries, including Canada and the United States, where individuals of French descent carried the name during periods of immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Labute
Among Census respondents with the surname Labute, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Labute bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Labute surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.6%
- Two or more races3.5%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Labute surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #122,314 | #122,314 | 0.0% |
| Count | 141 | 141 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Labute bearers went from 141 to 141 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #122,314 to #122,314.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Labute
FAQ
Labute surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Labute?
The surname Labute holds position #122,314 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Labute surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Labute, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.