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

Lor, 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 Lor surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lor in America

Lor is the 3149th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lor surname appeared 11,479 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Lor.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lor 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 Lor

The surname Lor has its origins in the French region of Normandy, dating back to the 11th century. It is likely derived from the Old French word "lor," meaning "laurel" or "laurel tree." The laurel tree has been a symbol of victory and honor since ancient times, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who achieved a significant triumph or held a respected position.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror after the Norman conquest of England. The entry mentions a landowner named Robertus de Lor, indicating that the name was already in use by the late 11th century.

In the 12th century, a notable figure bearing the name Lor was Gervaise de Lor, a Norman knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under the leadership of Richard the Lionheart. Gervaise de Lor was born around 1165 and played a significant role in the siege of Acre, a crucial battle during the Crusade.

Another historical figure with the surname Lor was Jean de Lor, a French diplomat and scholar who lived in the 15th century. Born in 1420, Jean de Lor served as an ambassador for the French crown and was known for his expertise in classical literature and philosophy.

In the 16th century, the name Lor was associated with several prominent individuals in various fields. One such person was Guillaume de Lor, a French architect and engineer who was involved in the construction of several notable buildings, including the Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley. Guillaume de Lor was born around 1510 and made significant contributions to the development of Renaissance architecture in France.

During the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name Lor was Michel de Lor, a French mathematician and astronomer. Born in 1623, Michel de Lor made important discoveries in the field of celestial mechanics and contributed to the development of calculus.

Throughout its history, the surname Lor has also been associated with various place names and older spellings. For example, the village of Lor in the Aisne department of northern France may have derived its name from the same root as the surname. Additionally, variations such as Lore, Lorre, and Lorr have been recorded in historical documents, reflecting the evolution of the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lor

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

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

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

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