Lemire
A French surname probably from an old word for a physician or healer.
The #9,281 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 88,037 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lemire is usually explained as a French name connected with Old French mire, meaning a physician or healer. The initial Le- is the French definite article, so the name likely began as a nickname or occupational label meaning “the doctor” or “the healer.” Some older writers also treat it as a surname formed from a professional byname rather than a hereditary family name from the start.
History
The name appears in French surname lists and was treated by later onomastic writers as a French occupational nickname. It was carried to North America through French-speaking migration, which helps explain its presence in Canada and in parts of the United States. English-language surname dictionaries often grouped it with other French names ending in -ier or -ire.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
An old French proverb tradition around mire reflects how common and familiar the word for a doctor once was in everyday speech.
From the historical record
“{mier, oc. Lemire. Médecin. Il y avait vingt-neuf mires en fonctions dans Paris eu 1292. Le dicton connu : « Ceux qui sont sains n'out pas be- soin de médecin •, se disait ainsi jadis : t Cil qui sont sains n'ont mes-”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)