Explore the Family Name Laforest
The meaning of Laforest
French: topographic name for someone who lived in or near a royal forest, or a metonymic occupational name for a keeper or worker in one, from Old French forest ‘forest’ (see Forest), with fused feminine definite article la; or a habitational name from Laforest or La Forest, names of several places in various parts of France. History: In North America, this surname was originally also a secondary surname or dit (‘also called’) name, borne by several 17th- and 18th-century French Canadians, inclu-ding Louis-François Tessier dit Laforest from Saint-Martin-de-Saint-Maixent in Deux-Sèvres, France, who married Thérèse Dupuis in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, QC, in 1728. His descendants also bear the surname Tessier. Some characteristic forenames: French Gilles, Pierre, Aime, Alphonse, Armand, Colette, Flore, Georges, Gisele, Guillaume, Herard, Jean-Claude.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Laforest in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Laforest has seen a minor decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked as the 14,898th most popular surname and slightly dropped to the 14,957th position by 2010, indicating a small change of -0.4%. However, the overall count of individuals bearing the surname rose from 1,822 in 2000 to 1,977 in 2010, marking an increase of 8.51%. The proportion per 100,000 people saw a slight dip by -1.47%, moving from 0.68 in 2000 to 0.67 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,898 | #14,957 | -0.4% |
| Count | 1,822 | 1,977 | 8.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.68 | 0.67 | -1.47% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Laforest
As for ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that over the course of a decade there have been some notable shifts in the ethnic identities associated with the surname Laforest. In 2000, 83.53% identified as White, but this decreased to 76.53% by 2010. Similarly, those identifying as Black made up 11.20% in 2000, but this figure increased to 17.30% by 2010. Ethnicities such as Hispanic and those identifying as two or more races also saw increases of 19.92% and 14.78% respectively. The data also recorded new occurrences of the surname among Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native populations in 2010, where there had been none in 2000.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.53% | 76.53% | -8.38% |
| Black | 11.2% | 17.3% | 54.46% |
| Hispanic | 2.36% | 2.83% | 19.92% |
| Two or More Races | 2.03% | 2.33% | 14.78% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.61% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.4% | 0% |