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Lafayette Family History

Lafayette Surname Meaning

Americanized form of French Lafeuillade: habitational name from Lafeuillade or La Feuillade names of several places in the southwestern part of France.

French: diminutive of Lafaye.

This is a very rare surname in France.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Lafayette family from?

You can see how Lafayette families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lafayette family name was found in the USA, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lafayette families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 4 Lafayette families living in Lanarkshire. This was about 80% of all the recorded Lafayette's in Scotland. Lanarkshire had the highest population of Lafayette families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lafayette surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Lafayette ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Farm Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Lafayette. 27% of Lafayette men worked as a Laborer and 12% of Lafayette women worked as a Farm Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lafayette were Salesman and Maid.

View Census Data for Lafayette | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    27%
  • Farmer
    17%
  • Farm Laborer
    7%
  • Salesman
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Farm Laborer
    12%
  • Seamstress
    9%
  • Cook
    9%
  • Maid
    7%

What Lafayette family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 14,000 census records available for the last name Lafayette. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lafayette census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Lafayette

Passenger Lists

There are 630 immigration records available for the last name Lafayette. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lafayette immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Lafayette. For the veterans among your Lafayette ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lafayette military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lafayette family history

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What is the average Lafayette lifespan?

Between 1953 and 2004, in the United States, Lafayette life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1988. The average life expectancy for Lafayette in 1953 was 56, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lafayette

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lafayette ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lafayette family tree

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