Explore the Family Name Lorraine
The meaning of Lorraine
1. French and English: habitational name from Lorraine, a region in the northeastern part of France. Its name derives from the name of the medieval kingdom of Lotharingia, which in turn was named for its sovereign Lothar (a personal name composed of the elements hlūd ‘famous, renowned’ + hari, heri ‘army’). 2. Altered form of French Lorrain, a variant of 1 above. Some characteristic forenames: French Armand, Emile, Perrine, Pierre.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lorraine in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Lorraine saw a slight fluctuation in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, the surname ranked 25,503 in popularity, with a total count of 910 bearers across the United States. The proportion per 100,000 people was 0.34. By 2010, the surname's rank had fallen slightly to 26,042, but the actual count of individuals bearing the name Lorraine increased to 941, showing an increase of 3.41%. However, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped by 5.88% to 0.32.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #25,503 | #26,042 | -2.11% |
| Count | 910 | 941 | 3.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.34 | 0.32 | -5.88% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lorraine
In terms of ethnic identity, the Lorraine surname showed varied representation across different groups from 2000 to 2010. According to the Decennial U.S. Census, in 2000, the largest proportion of Lorraines identified as White (87.80%), followed by Black (6.70%), Hispanic (2.42%), and those identifying with two or more races (1.54%). No Lorraines identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000. By 2010, the proportions shifted slightly. The percentage of Lorraines identifying as White decreased marginally to 86.40%, while the number of those identifying as Black and Hispanic increased to 6.91% and 2.87% respectively. The group identifying with two or more races dipped slightly to 1.49%. Interestingly, by 2010, small proportions of Lorraines identified as Asian/Pacific Islander (0.64%) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (1.70%), where previously there were none.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 87.8% | 86.4% | -1.59% |
| Black | 6.7% | 6.91% | 3.13% |
| Hispanic | 2.42% | 2.87% | 18.6% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 1.7% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.54% | 1.49% | -3.25% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.64% | 0% |