Lessard
A French surname meaning someone from a cleared piece of land, or from a place named for such land.
The #6,137 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 55,311 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname is usually connected with Old French essart, meaning "cleared land" or "a forest clearing." In that sense, Lessard would have been used for someone who lived by, came from, or owned a cleared tract of land. The excerpt also points to related French forms such as Lesser and Lesses, supporting a place-based rather than occupational origin.
History
Lessard is found especially in French-speaking areas and later spread to North America through French migration. It appears in Quebec and other parts of French Canada, where many surnames of this type were preserved and passed on. In North America, it is now most often associated with French-Canadian and Acadian family lines.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The root idea behind the name is a patch of land that had been cut out of forest and brought into cultivation.
From the historical record
“Lesquillier. V. de Leucuyer. Lessard, Lesser. Terre défri- chée, essart. Lesse. Uétre (hette, oil). Lesserteur, Lessertisseur. Dé-”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)