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

LeClair, 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 LeClair surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LeClair in America

LeClair is the 4351st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LeClair surname appeared 8,162 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 LeClair.

We can also compare 2010 data for LeClair 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 LeClair

The surname Leclair has its origins in France. It is derived from the French phrase "le clair," which means "the bright" or "the clear." The name likely arose as a descriptive nickname for someone with a bright complexion or a clear countenance.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century in the northern regions of France, particularly in the provinces of Normandy and Picardy. It is believed that the name may have been initially used to distinguish individuals from specific locations with the word "clair" in their names, such as Clairville or Clairvaux.

In the 14th century, the name Leclair appeared in several historical documents, including tax records and land registries in the regions of Normandy and Île-de-France. One notable figure was Jean Leclair, a renowned French composer and violinist born in 1697 in Lyon, who made significant contributions to the development of the French Baroque musical tradition.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Leclair name spread across France and was found in various regions, including Brittany, Burgundy, and Champagne. In this period, several members of the Leclair family held positions of importance, such as Jacques Leclair, who served as a magistrate in the Parlement of Paris in the late 16th century.

The 18th century saw the rise of several notable figures with the surname Leclair, including Antoine Leclair, a French painter born in 1704 in Paris, known for his portraits and historical paintings. Another prominent individual was Jean-Marie Leclair, a French architect and engineer born in 1697 in Rouen, who designed several prominent buildings in Paris and other cities.

In the 19th century, the Leclair name continued to be prevalent in France, with individuals like Victor Leclair, a French politician and writer born in 1824 in Paris, who served as a deputy in the National Assembly and published several works on literature and philosophy.

Over time, the surname Leclair has spread beyond France to other parts of the world, particularly to countries with French colonial influence, such as Canada and parts of the Caribbean. However, its roots can be traced back to the northern regions of France, where it originated as a descriptive nickname for individuals with a bright or clear appearance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LeClair

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

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

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

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