Find out how popular the last name LaChapelle is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named LaChapelle.

LaChapelle, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the LaChapelle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaChapelle in America

LaChapelle is the 11257th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaChapelle surname appeared 2,808 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname LaChapelle.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaChapelle to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name LaChapelle

The surname Lachapelle originated in France, appearing in records as early as the 13th century. It is derived from the French words "la chapelle," meaning "the chapel." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a chapel or church.

One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Livre des Bourgeois de Paris, a record of citizens in Paris from the late 13th century. The name appears as "de la Chapelle," indicating that it was likely a locative surname, referring to a specific place.

In the 14th century, variations of the name, such as "de la Chapelle" and "de Lachapelle," can be found in various French records and manuscripts, including tax rolls and property deeds. This suggests that the name had become more widespread throughout France during this period.

One notable historical figure with the surname Lachapelle was Jean de Lachapelle, a French theologian and philosopher who lived in the 15th century. He was a professor at the University of Paris and wrote several works on theology and philosophy.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Pierre Lachapelle, a French explorer and fur trader who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was one of the first Europeans to explore parts of what is now western Canada and helped establish trade routes between French settlements and Indigenous communities.

In the 19th century, the name Lachapelle can be found in records from various regions of France, including Normandy, Brittany, and the Île-de-France region. One notable figure from this period was Augustin Lachapelle, a French obstetrician and gynecologist who lived from 1799 to 1856. He wrote several influential works on obstetrics and midwifery.

Another notable individual with the surname Lachapelle was Marie-Rose Lachapelle, a French Canadian woman who lived in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. She is known for her involvement in the Patriote movement, a rebellion against British rule in Lower Canada (now part of Quebec).

In the 20th century, one of the most well-known individuals with the surname Lachapelle was René Lachapelle, a Canadian politician and lawyer who lived from 1905 to 1986. He served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada and was a prominent figure in the Quebec Liberal Party.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaChapelle

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname LaChapelle.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for LaChapelle was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of LaChapelle has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name LaChapelle was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of LaChapelle, please contact us.

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