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

Lars, 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 Lars surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lars in America

Lars is the 90495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lars surname appeared 204 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lars.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lars 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 Lars

The surname Lars has its origins in Scandinavia, particularly in Denmark and Sweden, where it emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse name Laurits or Lorentz, which was a variant of the Latin name Laurentius, meaning "from Laurentum" – a town in ancient Italy.

The name Lars first appeared in written records in the 13th century, such as the Danish census rolls and Swedish parish registers. At that time, it was often spelled as "Larsson" or "Larsen," indicating that it was a patronymic name, meaning "son of Lars."

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lars was Laurentius Michaelis Larsøn, a Danish cleric born in 1537. He was a prominent figure in the Lutheran Reformation and served as a Bishop of Viborg in Denmark.

Another notable bearer of the name was Lars Wivallius, a Swedish botanist and clergyman born in 1605. He was the author of several works on plant taxonomy and played a significant role in the development of botanical studies in Sweden.

In the 17th century, the name Lars appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals with the name had migrated to England during that period.

The name Lars has also been associated with several place names in Scandinavia, such as Larsmo in Finland and Larsmoen in Norway. These place names likely derived from individuals named Lars who had settled in those areas.

Among the famous individuals with the surname Lars, one can mention Lars Petter Qvam, a Norwegian poet and writer born in 1923. He was known for his lyrical works and received several literary awards, including the prestigious Dobloug Prize.

Another notable figure was Lars Onsager, a Norwegian-American chemist and theoretical physicist born in 1903. He made significant contributions to the fields of thermodynamics, electrolyte theory, and the theory of liquid crystals, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1968.

Lars Ulrich, born in 1963, is a Danish drummer and co-founder of the influential heavy metal band Metallica. He has been a central figure in the band's success and is widely regarded as one of the most influential drummers in the history of rock music.

The surname Lars has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, scientists, writers, and musicians. Its origins can be traced back to Scandinavia, where it emerged as a patronymic name during the medieval period, carrying the essence of its Latin roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lars

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

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

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

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