Leclair
A French surname most often understood as a spelling variant of Leclerc, shaped by French pronunciation and local spelling habits.
The #4,351 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 37,827 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Leclair is best treated as a French surname form that often reflects the name Leclerc rather than a separate word meaning "clear." In French records, spelling could shift by pronunciation, so Leclair may be a phonetic or regional spelling of Leclerc, the common occupational name for a clerk or scholar. Some older writers also noted confusion between Leclair and other similar-looking names, which suggests the form was not always stable.
History
The name appears in French naming traditions where surnames were often recorded in variable spellings. Older surname scholars noted Leclair as a form that could stand for Leclerc, and warned not to confuse it with unrelated names that only look similar in print. In North America it is found mainly among families of French or French-Canadian background.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname references explicitly describe Leclair as a phonetic spelling that could disguise Leclerc in historical records.
From the historical record
“pour éclater de rire (oil). Leclair, Leclaire. L'honoré, le recommandable (oil). A ne pas con- fondre avec Leclere, bien que iecZaJr ait dû souvent être écrit pour Le- clerc.”
— Dictionnaire des noms (French surnames)