2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lapour
A surname possibly derived from the French term "la peur" meaning "the fear".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Lapour. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lapour 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Lapour in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lapour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lapour
The surname LAPOUR has its origins in France, tracing back to the early 16th century. The name is believed to have derived from the Old French word "la pour," which translates to "the fear" or "the terror." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone who instilled fear or had an intimidating presence.
During the medieval period, the LAPOUR name appeared in various records and historical documents across northern France, particularly in the regions of Normandy and Picardy. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the municipal archives of the city of Rouen, dated 1528, where a certain Jacques LAPOUR is mentioned as a merchant and landowner.
In the 17th century, the LAPOUR family gained prominence in the town of Amiens, where several members held positions of influence. Notable figures include Pierre LAPOUR (1612-1689), a respected lawyer and magistrate, and his son, Michel LAPOUR (1645-1721), who served as the mayor of Amiens from 1697 to 1699.
As the name spread throughout France, it underwent various spelling variations, such as LaPour, LaPouhr, and LaPouere. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual scribes or record-keepers.
One of the most renowned individuals bearing the LAPOUR surname was Jean-Baptiste LAPOUR (1767-1843), a celebrated French painter known for his striking portraits and historical scenes. His works can be found in several prestigious museums, including the Louvre in Paris.
Another notable figure was Émilie LAPOUR (1795-1871), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Paris and played a significant role in promoting equal educational opportunities for women in the early 19th century.
In the realm of literature, the name LAPOUR is associated with the poet and playwright, Louis LAPOUR (1819-1892). His works, which often explored themes of love, loss, and the human condition, were widely acclaimed during his lifetime and have left a lasting impact on French literature.
The LAPOUR name can also be traced back to various place names in France, such as the village of La Pour in the Auvergne region, and the hamlet of Lapour in the department of Gers. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and contributed to its geographic spread.
Throughout history, the LAPOUR surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, leaving an indelible mark on various aspects of French society and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lapour
Among Census respondents with the surname Lapour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Lapour 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 Lapour surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 115
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lapour
Lapour 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-9 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,469 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+3 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 59 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 16,469 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.6%) | Up 59 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 Lapour 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 | #142,108 | #142,049 | 0.0% |
| Count | 117 | 120 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lapour bearers went from 117 to 120 (+2.6% change). The surname moved up 59 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #142,049.
FAQ
Lapour surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lapour?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Lapour. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Lapour?
Lapour ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Lapour. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lapour.
Has Lapour become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lapour went from 117 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 3 (+2.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #142,108 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Lapour?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lapour, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Lapour in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lapour appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Two or More Races (1.7%), Black (0.8%). 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 Lapour (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 Lapour mean?
A surname possibly derived from the French term "la peur" meaning "the fear". 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 Lapour (0.04 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 last name Lapour?
You can see how many people are called Lapour on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.