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

Legere, 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 Legere surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Legere in America

Legere is the 13427th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Legere surname appeared 2,270 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 Legere.

We can also compare 2010 data for Legere 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 Legere

The surname Legere originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "legier," meaning "light" or "nimble." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone of a slight or agile build.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 13th-century Ecclesiastical Tax Rolls of Yorkshire, England, where it is spelled "Legere." This indicates that the name had spread to England by that time, likely brought by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066.

In France, the name can be traced back to the 11th century, where it was found in the region of Normandy. A notable early bearer of the name was Robert Legere, a Norman knight who fought in the First Crusade (1096-1099) under Robert Curthose, the Duke of Normandy.

The name Legere is also found in various medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is listed as "Leger" in the county of Gloucestershire, England. This suggests that the name had already established itself in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

During the 12th century, the name spread to other parts of Europe, including Germany, where it was recorded as "Leger" and "Legere." One prominent figure bearing the name was Johannes Legere, a German scholar and theologian who lived from 1495 to 1565.

In the 15th century, the name also appeared in Italy, where it was spelled "Legeri" or "Leggeri." One notable Italian with this surname was Giacomo Legeri, a renowned painter and architect who lived from 1520 to 1598.

Other historical figures bearing the Legere surname include:

1. Pierre Legere (1630-1701), a French explorer and fur trader in North America.
2. Jean-Baptiste Legere (1765-1834), a French military officer who served under Napoleon.
3. Marie-Louise Legere (1755-1823), a French nun and educator who founded several schools in Paris.
4. Émile Legere (1892-1976), a Belgian painter and sculptor known for his Impressionist works.
5. Jacques Legere (1920-2003), a French author and poet who wrote extensively about the rural life in Normandy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Legere

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

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

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

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