Lamoureux
A French surname built from the word for “love,” originally meaning “the amorous” or “the loving man.”
The #9,658 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 91,861 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lamoureux comes from French amoureux, meaning “amorous,” “loving,” or “in love.” It is ultimately based on Latin amor, “love,” and was likely first used as a nickname for someone seen as affectionate, romantically inclined, or simply associated with love. In surname form, it is a descriptive or nickname-based name rather than an occupational or place-name surname.
History
The surname is clearly French in form and appears in historical French and French-Canadian communities. In English-speaking records it has often been preserved in its original spelling, though in some families it may be simplified or anglicized over time. It is especially familiar in North America through French-Canadian migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it literally relates to “love,” the name has long been an obvious target for wordplay in English-language sources.
From the historical record
“Lammiter, 201 La Monnaie, 165 Lamoureux, 191 Lamprey, 226 Lance, 79 Lancelot, 79 Lander, 186 Laner, 170”
— The Romance of Names