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

Lessard, 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 Lessard surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lessard in America

Lessard is the 6137th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lessard surname appeared 5,582 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lessard.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lessard 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 Lessard

The surname Lessard originated in France and is derived from the Old French word "lessart," which referred to a piece of land that had been cleared or cultivated. This suggests that the name likely originated with someone who worked as a farmer or cultivator of land.

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the 13th century in the region of Normandy, France. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Geoffroy Lessart, who was mentioned in records from the village of Rouen in 1285.

During the Middle Ages, the Lessard name appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Livre des Bourgeois de Rouen (Book of Bourgeois of Rouen), which documented the names of prominent citizens in the city.

The name Lessard is also associated with several place names in France, such as Lessart and Lessart-et-le-Chêne, which likely derived their names from the Old French word "lessart." These place names may have contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname in their respective regions.

Notable individuals with the surname Lessard throughout history include:

1. Guillaume Lessard (c. 1550-1620), a French poet and playwright from Normandy.
2. Jean-Baptiste Lessard (1629-1695), a French-Canadian explorer and fur trader who helped establish settlements in New France.
3. Marie-Reine Lessard (1754-1842), a French-Canadian midwife and folk healer known for her work in the Quebec region.
4. Louis-Nazaire Lessard (1828-1909), a Canadian lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Senate of Canada.
5. Renée Lessard (1914-2007), a French actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions during the mid-20th century.

While the Lessard name has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through French immigration and colonization. However, the earliest and most significant historical references to the name can be traced back to its origins in the regions of Normandy and the surrounding areas of northern France.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lessard

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

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

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

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