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

Lemaire, 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 Lemaire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lemaire in America

Lemaire is the 10871st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lemaire surname appeared 2,931 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 Lemaire.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lemaire 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 Lemaire

The surname LEMAIRE originated in France during the Middle Ages. It derives from the Old French words "le" meaning "the" and "maire" meaning "mayor" or "leader". The name was likely first given as an occupational surname to individuals who served as mayors or held positions of authority within their local communities.

In its earliest recorded form, the name appeared as "Le Maire" in various French records from the 12th and 13th centuries. Over time, the spelling evolved to the more modern form of "LEMAIRE" that is commonly seen today. The name was particularly prevalent in the northern regions of France, including Normandy and Brittany.

One notable early reference to the surname LEMAIRE can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and tax records commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed among the landowners and tenants in several counties across England, suggesting that individuals bearing this French surname had already begun to establish themselves in parts of Britain by the late 11th century.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname LEMAIRE was Jean LEMAIRE, a renowned French poet and historian who lived from 1473 to 1548. He served as an indripher (official poet) to several French kings, including Louis XII and Francis I, and is best known for his works such as "Les Illustrations de Gaule et Singularitez de Troye" and "La Légende des Vénitiens".

Another notable figure was Philippe LEMAIRE, a French painter and engraver born in 1610. He was a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture and is celebrated for his religious works and portraiture, including a famous portrait of Louis XIV.

In the 18th century, Pierre-Augustin Caron de LEMAIRE (1756-1836) was a prominent French playwright and librettist who authored several operas and plays during the Napoleonic era.

François-Édouard LEMAIRE (1850-1924) was a 19th-century French sculptor known for his monumental works, including the statue of Joan of Arc in Rouen and the "Monument to the Republic" in Paris.

Lastly, Georges LEMAIRE (1894-1963) was a 20th-century French physicist and engineer who made significant contributions to the development of radar technology during World War II.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lemaire

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

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

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

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