Explore the Family Name Lareau
The meaning of Lareau
French Canadian: altered form of French De la Raue, itself possibly an intermediate altered form of Delarue or, alternatively, a habitational name for someone from La Roë, a place in Mayenne in northwestern France. Compare Laro, Laroe, Larowe, Larreau, and Larrow. History: The American Lareaus trace their origin to Jacques Delaraue or De la Raue from Rouen, Normandy, France, who died in Canada in 1699. Among his descendants the surname is also spelled Lareault, Lareaux, Laro, Laroe, Larowe, Larreau, and Larrow. The surname Delaraue or De la Raue is not found in France, but right in Rouen the concentration of the similar surname Delarue, a possible original form, is the highest. Some characteristic forenames: French Andre, Normand, Alain, Armand, Camille, Marcel, Emile, Fabien, Florent, Francois, Germain, Lucien.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lareau in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Lareau has seen a growth in popularity within the United States over the past decade. In 2000, it was ranked as the 16,087th most common last name in the country and rose to the 15,471st spot by 2010. This represents an increase of approximately 3.83 percent. The number of individuals bearing this name also grew from 1,655 in 2000 to 1,893 in 2010, marking a 14.38 percent increase. Consequently, the proportion of people named Lareau per 100,000 residents increased by 4.92 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #16,087 | #15,471 | 3.83% |
| Count | 1,655 | 1,893 | 14.38% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.61 | 0.64 | 4.92% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lareau
Regarding the ethnic identity associated with the surname Lareau, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, 92.51 percent of individuals with the surname self-identified as White, but by 2010, this figure had dropped slightly to 90.49 percent. Notably, there were significant increases among those identifying as Black (from 1.09 percent to 2.11 percent) and Hispanic (from 1.57 percent to 2.48 percent). Meanwhile, proportions among Asian/Pacific Islanders declined from 1.21 percent to 0.63 percent, while those reporting two or more races increased from 2.84 percent to 3.54 percent. The percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Native bearers of the surname saw a small decrease of 6.33 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 92.51% | 90.49% | -2.18% |
| Two or More Races | 2.84% | 3.54% | 24.65% |
| Hispanic | 1.57% | 2.48% | 57.96% |
| Black | 1.09% | 2.11% | 93.58% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.79% | 0.74% | -6.33% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.21% | 0.63% | -47.93% |