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

Laughter, 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 Laughter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laughter in America

Laughter is the 15210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laughter surname appeared 1,937 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 Laughter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laughter 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 Laughter

The surname Laughter is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a descriptive name derived from the Old English word "hleahtor," which means "laughter" or "merriment." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone known for their jovial or humorous nature.

In the 13th century, the name was recorded in various forms, such as "le Lahtre" and "le Laughter," in several English county records. One of the earliest documented instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, where a person named William le Laughter is mentioned.

During the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, including "Laghter" and "Laughtere," in records from counties like Suffolk and Essex. In the Feet of Fines for Essex from 1377, a John Laghter is listed, indicating the presence of the name in that region at the time.

The Laughter surname can also be traced back to place names in England. For instance, there is a hamlet called Laughter in Dorset, which may have contributed to the surname's origins. Additionally, some records from the 16th century refer to individuals with the surname "de Laughter," suggesting a connection to a specific location.

Notable individuals with the surname Laughter include:

1. John Laughter (c. 1520 - c. 1590), an English landowner and merchant from Gloucestershire.
2. Elizabeth Laughter (1645 - 1720), a renowned author and poet from Yorkshire.
3. William Laughter (1698 - 1763), a prominent lawyer and judge in London.
4. Thomas Laughter (1745 - 1815), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War.
5. Mary Laughter (1780 - 1856), a philanthropist and social reformer from Lancashire, known for her efforts in improving education and living conditions for the underprivileged.

While the surname Laughter may have originated from a descriptive term or a place name, it has become a distinct and recognizable English surname over the centuries, with various notable individuals bearing it throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laughter

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

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

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

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