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

Lajoie, 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 Lajoie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lajoie in America

Lajoie is the 10250th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lajoie surname appeared 3,145 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 Lajoie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lajoie 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 Lajoie

The surname LAJOIE is of French origin, deriving from the old French words "la joie" which translates to "the joy" or "the happiness". It is believed to have originated in the northern regions of France during the medieval period, possibly as a descriptive nickname or a locational name referring to a place of joy or happiness.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAJOIE surname can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. In a manuscript dated 1267, a man named Renaud LAJOIE is mentioned as a landowner in the village of Bayeux. This suggests that the name had already been established in the area by that time.

During the 14th century, the LAJOIE name appears in several municipal records and tax rolls in various parts of northern France, indicating its spread across the region. Notable examples include a merchant named Jacques LAJOIE in the city of Rouen in 1347, and a landowner named Pierre LAJOIE in the village of Amiens in 1382.

As the name continued to spread throughout France, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 15th century, there are records of individuals with the LAJOIE surname in the Low Countries (modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands), possibly due to migration or trade connections.

One of the earliest known LAJOIE individuals of historical significance was Jean LAJOIE (c. 1480-1542), a French poet and playwright from the city of Paris. His works, which included satirical plays and lyrical poems, were popular among the French nobility of the time.

Another notable figure was Marie LAJOIE (1567-1644), a French Catholic nun and educator who founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Lyon. She was renowned for her dedication to education and her efforts to promote literacy among young women.

In the 17th century, the LAJOIE name crossed the Atlantic Ocean with French settlers who established colonies in North America. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of Jacques LAJOIE (1623-1687), a farmer and fur trader who settled in the colony of New France (modern-day Quebec, Canada) in 1648.

Other notable LAJOIE individuals from this period include Pierre LAJOIE (1675-1745), a French military officer who served in the War of the Spanish Succession, and Marguerite LAJOIE (1698-1773), a pioneering settler in the colony of Acadia (modern-day Nova Scotia, Canada).

As the LAJOIE surname continued to spread and evolve over the centuries, it has been associated with various notable individuals across different fields, including writers, artists, politicians, and athletes. However, the core meaning of the name, derived from the concept of joy and happiness, has remained a consistent thread throughout its rich history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lajoie

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

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 Lajoie 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 Lajoie 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 Lajoie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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