2000
#11,437
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,527
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.94
Rare Last name
Laclair
A French topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or glade.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,843 Americans carry the last name Laclair. That puts it at #12,018 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.83 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 120,561 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Laclair 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
2.8K
1 in 120,561
Census rank
#12,018
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,479 bearers of the surname Laclair in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.83 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12018th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Laclair, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Laclair
The surname LACLAIR is of French origin and can be traced back to the early 19th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Normandy in northern France. The name is derived from the Old French words "la" meaning "the" and "clere" meaning "clear" or "bright", likely referring to someone who lived near a clear stream or river.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LACLAIR can be found in the French census records of 1836, where a family by the name of LACLAIR was listed as residing in the town of Rouen, Normandy. The name was also present in various parish records and land deeds from the same region during the 18th and 19th centuries.
In the late 19th century, several individuals with the surname LACLAIR were noted for their contributions to various fields. One such individual was Jean-Baptiste LACLAIR (1835-1901), a renowned French painter known for his landscapes and portraits. Another notable LACLAIR was Marie-Antoinette LACLAIR (1845-1912), a renowned French author and poet whose works explored themes of love, nature, and the human condition.
As the 20th century dawned, the name LACLAIR began to spread beyond the borders of France. In 1902, a young man named Pierre LACLAIR (1880-1957) immigrated to Canada, settling in the province of Quebec. He went on to become a successful businessman and was instrumental in the establishment of several factories in the region.
Across the Atlantic, in the United States, a prominent figure named William LACLAIR (1892-1968) made a name for himself as a skilled architect. He was responsible for designing several landmark buildings in New York City, including the iconic Chrysler Building, which was completed in 1930.
Another notable individual with the surname LACLAIR was Marie-Claire LACLAIR (1910-1998), a French resistance fighter during World War II. She played a crucial role in the Underground Resistance movement, risking her life to smuggle Allied soldiers and intelligence across enemy lines. Her bravery and dedication earned her numerous military honors and decorations.
While these are just a few examples, the surname LACLAIR has a rich history spanning centuries and continents, with individuals from various walks of life leaving their mark on the world.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Laclair
Among Census respondents with the surname Laclair, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Laclair 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 Laclair surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 2,188
- Two or more races4.1% · 101
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.7% · 91
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 70
- Black or African American0.7% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Laclair
Laclair 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
#11,984
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,606
+79 bearers (+3.1%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Down 547 places
2020
#12,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,479
-127 bearers (-4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 34 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,437 | 2,527 | 0.94 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,984 | 2,606 | 0.88 | +79 bearers (+3.1%) | Down 547 places |
| 2020 | #12,018 | 2,479 | 0.83 | -127 bearers (-4.9%) | Down 34 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 Laclair 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 | #11,984 | #12,018 | -0.3% |
| Count | 2,606 | 2,479 | -4.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 0.83 | -5.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Laclair bearers went from 2,606 to 2,479 (-4.9% change). The surname moved down 34 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,984 to #12,018.
FAQ
Laclair surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Laclair?
Name Census estimates that about 2,843 living Americans carry the surname Laclair. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 120,561 residents.
How common is Laclair?
Laclair ranks #12,018 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.83 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 2,479 people with the surname Laclair. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,843), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.83 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.83 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 Laclair.
Has Laclair become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Laclair went from 2,606 recorded bearers to 2,479. That is a decrease of 127 (-4.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,984 to #12,018.
What does the Census say about the background of Laclair?
Among Census respondents with the surname Laclair, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%). 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 Laclair in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (2,188 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Laclair appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Two or More Races (4.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.7%). 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 Laclair (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 Laclair mean?
A French topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a clearing or glade. 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 Laclair (0.83 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 people share the surname Laclair?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.