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

LaPorte, 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 LaPorte surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaPorte in America

LaPorte is the 4711th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaPorte surname appeared 7,528 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname LaPorte.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaPorte 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 LaPorte

The surname LAPORTE originated in France, likely emerging during the medieval period. It is derived from the French phrase "la porte," which translates to "the gate" or "the door." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked at a significant gate or entrance.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAPORTE name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry mentions a Norman landowner named Robert de la Porte, indicating that the name had already been established in France before being introduced to England following the Norman conquest.

In the 13th century, records show a LAPORTE family residing in the northern French region of Normandy. This area was known for its strategic fortifications and gatehouses, which may have influenced the origin of the name.

During the 16th century, a notable figure named Jean de LAPORTE (1515-1572) was a French composer and music theorist. He served as the choirmaster at the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and contributed significantly to the development of Renaissance polyphonic music.

In the 18th century, Pierre de LAPORTE (1719-1792) was a French politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of the Civic Guard during the early years of the French Revolution. He was tragically killed during the September Massacres of 1792, which marked a turning point in the revolutionary violence.

Another prominent individual with the LAPORTE surname was Émile de LAPORTE (1837-1907), a French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Musée des Arts et Métiers and the Église Saint-Pierre de Montrouge.

In the realm of literature, the French novelist and playwright Georges de LAPORTE (1888-1971) gained recognition for his works exploring themes of love, desire, and societal conventions.

Over the centuries, variations of the LAPORTE name have emerged, such as Laport, Delaporte, and Delporte, reflecting regional linguistic differences and spelling conventions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaPorte

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

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

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

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