Laurent
A French surname from the personal name Laurent, ultimately from Latin Laurentius, meaning “from Laurentum” or linked to laurel.
The #5,232 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 46,323 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Laurent is the French form of the personal name Laurent, itself from Latin Laurentius. In classical usage, Laurentius meant “of Laurentum,” an ancient Roman town, though the name was later strongly associated with laurel. As a surname, it began as a patronymic or identifying name from a bearer of the given name Laurent.
History
The name is well established in French and Francophone naming traditions and also appears in English records through French influence. Historical sources note it as a French modification of Laurence/Lawrence, and medieval records show bearers in Normandy and England. In modern usage it remains common in French-speaking areas and among families of French descent abroad.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The saintly association of Laurent/Lawrence helped spread the name widely across medieval Europe, making it both a personal name and a surname in many languages.
From the historical record
“de Worde. See Halliwell. LAURENT. A French modification of Laurence. LAURIE. A northern abbreviation of Lawrence. LAUTOUR. The founder of the family in England was Jos. Francois Louis de Lautour, born in 1730, the descendant of an ancient Alsacian family, who claimed from a certain " Sire de la Tour," who is”
— Patronymica Britannica: a dictionary of the family names of the United KingdomNotable people named Laurent
- Mélanie Laurent (b. 1983)
- Lucien Laurent (1907–2005)
Sourced from Wikidata; linked to their Wikipedia page.