2000
#11,917
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,406
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.89
Rare Last name
Lamoreaux
A French topographic surname referring to someone living near a small pond or moorland.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,898 Americans carry the last name Lamoreaux. That puts it at #11,843 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 118,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lamoreaux 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
2.9K
1 in 118,273
Census rank
#11,843
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,527 bearers of the surname Lamoreaux in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11843rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamoreaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lamoreaux
The surname LAMOREAUX has its origins in France, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "l'amoreux," which means "the lover." This suggests that the name may have been given as a descriptive nickname to someone known for their affectionate or amorous nature.
One of the earliest documented references to the LAMOREAUX name can be found in the records of the Duchy of Normandy from the late 1100s. The name appears to have been concentrated in the northern regions of France, particularly in the areas around Normandy and Picardy.
As the name spread across Europe, various spelling variations emerged, such as Lamoreux, Lamoreaux, and Lamoureux. These variations reflect the regional dialects and linguistic influences of different areas where the name took root.
In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the LAMOREAUX name was Jean Lamoreaux, a French nobleman and landowner who held estates in the region of Champagne. He is mentioned in several historical documents from the era, including a land grant issued by King Louis IX in 1248.
Another historical figure with the LAMOREAUX surname was Pierre Lamoreaux, a French soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War against the English in the 14th century. Records indicate that he participated in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 and was captured by the English forces.
During the 16th century, the LAMOREAUX name gained prominence in the city of Lyon, where a family of merchants and bankers became influential members of the local business community. One of the most notable members was Jacques Lamoreaux (1542-1618), a successful silk trader and financier who served as a councilor to the city's governing body.
In the 17th century, a branch of the LAMOREAUX family emigrated to the French colony of Acadia (present-day Canada). One of the earliest settlers was Michel Lamoreaux, who arrived in Port-Royal (now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) in 1638. He is considered one of the founding families of the Acadian community.
Another notable figure with the LAMOREAUX surname was Jean-Baptiste Lamoreaux (1716-1789), a French artist and engraver who worked in Paris during the 18th century. He is best known for his intricate engravings of architectural designs and landscapes, which were highly sought after by collectors of his time.
Throughout history, the LAMOREAUX surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artisans, soldiers, merchants, and landowners. While the name originated in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, reflecting the migration patterns and cultural exchanges that have shaped human societies over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lamoreaux
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamoreaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Lamoreaux 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 Lamoreaux surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 2,301
- Two or more races3.7% · 93
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 77
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.2% · 31
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 14
- Black or African American0.4% · 11
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lamoreaux
Lamoreaux 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
#12,031
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,595
+189 bearers (+7.9%)
Per 100,000 0.88
Rank movement Down 114 places
2020
#11,843
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,527
-68 bearers (-2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.85
Rank movement Up 188 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,917 | 2,406 | 0.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,031 | 2,595 | 0.88 | +189 bearers (+7.9%) | Down 114 places |
| 2020 | #11,843 | 2,527 | 0.85 | -68 bearers (-2.6%) | Up 188 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 Lamoreaux 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 | #12,031 | #11,843 | 1.6% |
| Count | 2,595 | 2,527 | -2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.88 | 0.85 | -3.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lamoreaux bearers went from 2,595 to 2,527 (-2.6% change). The surname moved up 188 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,031 to #11,843.
FAQ
Lamoreaux surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lamoreaux?
Name Census estimates that about 2,898 living Americans carry the surname Lamoreaux. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 118,273 residents.
How common is Lamoreaux?
Lamoreaux ranks #11,843 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.85 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 2,527 people with the surname Lamoreaux. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,898), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.85 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 Lamoreaux.
Has Lamoreaux become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lamoreaux went from 2,595 recorded bearers to 2,527. That is a decrease of 68 (-2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,031 to #11,843.
What does the Census say about the background of Lamoreaux?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lamoreaux, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Lamoreaux in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (2,301 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lamoreaux appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Lamoreaux (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 Lamoreaux mean?
A French topographic surname referring to someone living near a small pond or moorland. 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 Lamoreaux (0.85 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 have the surname Lamoreaux?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.