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

Lazard, 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 Lazard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lazard in America

Lazard is the 32438th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lazard surname appeared 709 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 Lazard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lazard 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 Lazard

The surname Lazard is of French origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the French region of Normandy, where it was likely derived from the Old French word "lazart," meaning "leper."

In the Middle Ages, many surnames were derived from occupations or personal characteristics. It is possible that the name Lazard was initially given to someone who worked in a leper colony or was associated with the care of lepers.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lazard can be found in the 13th century. A document dated 1274 mentions a "Petrus Lazardi" in the town of Rouen, Normandy.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various records across northern France. For example, a "Jehan Lazard" is mentioned in a 1387 tax record from the city of Amiens.

In the 15th century, the Lazard name spread to other parts of France, including the regions of Île-de-France and Champagne. A notable figure from this time period was Pierre Lazard, a merchant from Paris who lived from around 1420 to 1497.

As the Lazard family grew and expanded, variations of the spelling emerged, such as Lazart, Lasard, and Lazarde. Some of these spelling variations may have been influenced by the regional dialects or scribal errors in official records.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Lazard family settled in the city of Lyon, where they became influential bankers and financiers. One of the most prominent members of this branch was Claude Lazard (1628-1695), a wealthy merchant and investor.

Another notable individual with the Lazard surname was François Lazard (1756-1831), a French military officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of general and was awarded the prestigious Légion d'honneur for his service.

During the 19th century, the Lazard name gained further recognition with the rise of the Lazard banking dynasty. The family's financial empire was founded by the brothers Alexandre (1776-1842), Simon (1788-1865), and Élie Lazard (1794-1871), who established the Lazard Frères banking house in New Orleans and Paris.

Throughout its history, the Lazard surname has been carried by numerous individuals across various fields, including business, politics, and the arts. While the name's origins can be traced back to medieval France, it has since spread globally, reflecting the diverse journeys and achievements of those who bear this distinctive surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lazard

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!