2000
#4,053
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,061
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.99
Uncommon Last name
Lor
A Romanian surname derived from the word "lor," meaning "theirs," likely referring to a person's ancestors or clan.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 16,001 Americans carry the last name Lor. That puts it at #2,518 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 21,421 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lor surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
16K
1 in 21,421
Census rank
#2,518
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
14K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 13,954 bearers of the surname Lor in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2518th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lor, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lor
Among Census respondents with the surname Lor, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Lor bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lor surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander96.7% · 13,490
- White1.4% · 197
- Two or more races1.1% · 149
- Hispanic or Latino0.5% · 69
- Black or African American0.3% · 43
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.0% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lor
Lor appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#3,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 11,479
+3,418 bearers (+42.4%)
Per 100,000 3.89
Rank movement Up 904 places
2020
#2,518
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,954
+2,475 bearers (+21.6%)
Per 100,000 4.67
Rank movement Up 631 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,053 | 8,061 | 2.99 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,149 | 11,479 | 3.89 | +3,418 bearers (+42.4%) | Up 904 places |
| 2020 | #2,518 | 13,954 | 4.67 | +2,475 bearers (+21.6%) | Up 631 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lor surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,149 | #2,518 | 20.0% |
| Count | 11,479 | 13,954 | 21.6% |
| Per 100K | 3.89 | 4.67 | 20.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lor bearers went from 11,479 to 13,954 (+21.6% change). The surname moved up 631 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,149 to #2,518.
FAQ
Lor surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lor?
Name Census estimates that about 16,001 living Americans carry the surname Lor. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 21,421 residents.
How common is Lor?
Lor ranks #2,518 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 13,954 people with the surname Lor. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (16,001), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Lor.
Has Lor become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lor went from 11,479 recorded bearers to 13,954. That is an increase of 2,475 (+21.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,149 to #2,518.
What does the Census say about the background of Lor?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lor, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 96.7%. The next largest groups are White (1.4%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lor in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (13,490 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lor appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (96.7%), White (1.4%), Two or More Races (1.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lor (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lor mean?
A Romanian surname derived from the word "lor," meaning "theirs," likely referring to a person's ancestors or clan. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lor (4.67 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Lor?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Lor on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.