Lorde
A surname derived from the Old English word "hlaford" meaning master or lord.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 274 Americans carry the last name Lorde. That puts it at #79,075 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,250,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lorde surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
274
1 in 1,250,928
Census rank
#79,075
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
241
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 241 bearers of the surname Lorde in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 79075th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lorde, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and White (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lorde
The surname Lorde is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hlaford," which means "lord" or "master." This name was initially used to refer to a person who held a position of authority or nobility.
In medieval times, the name Lorde was commonly found in various regions of England, particularly in the counties of Suffolk, Norfolk, and Essex. It was often associated with families who held land or had ties to the aristocracy. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of the late 12th century, where individuals with the surname were mentioned in connection with land transactions or tax records.
One notable historical reference to the name Lorde is in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. Although the spelling may have varied slightly, the name appears several times in this important historical document, indicating its presence in England during the Norman period.
The surname Lorde has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout England. For instance, the village of Lorde in Somerset and the hamlet of Lorde in Kent may have influenced the spelling and usage of the name in those regions.
Among the notable individuals who bore the surname Lorde throughout history are:
1. Sir William Lorde (c. 1450 - c. 1520), an English politician and member of Parliament during the Tudor period.
2. Richard Lorde (c. 1530 - 1599), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.
3. John Lorde (c. 1550 - 1610), an English writer and poet known for his works on astronomy and navigation.
4. Elizabeth Lorde (c. 1620 - 1685), an influential Puritan writer and religious leader in colonial Massachusetts.
5. William Lorde (c. 1680 - 1755), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the War of the Spanish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession.
While the surname Lorde has been found throughout various periods of English history, its usage and popularity may have evolved over time, reflecting the changing social and cultural landscape of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lorde
Among Census respondents with the surname Lorde, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and White (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Lorde bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Lorde surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American86.7%
- Hispanic or Latino7.5%
- White5.0%
- Unknown or suppressed0.8%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lorde surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #78,838 | #79,075 | -0.3% |
| Count | 225 | 241 | 7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lorde bearers went from 225 to 241 (+7.1% change). The surname moved down 237 positions in the national ranking, going from #78,838 to #79,075.
FAQ
Lorde surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lorde?
The surname Lorde holds position #79,075 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 274 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lorde surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lorde, the largest self-reported group is Black at 86.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and White (5.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.