The Lao surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,897 people carried this name — #5,856 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 50,000 people counted. That is up 30% from 4,523 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 212 people named Lao.
Most of them — 156 — were born outside France. Those born in France came from 19 départements, most often French Polynesia.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Poland’s population register
201 people named Lao have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 239 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 9 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Masovian.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 161 people named Lao live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Buenos Aires Province.
Where it concentrates, on the mapWhere they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
82 people named Lao live in Switzerland.
They live in 10 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In print
Lao in American newspapers,
1905–1926.
Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 317,788 pages in all carry the name.
Who carried it
People named Lao,
with a public archive behind them.
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Lao Chongguang 1802–1867 · politician -
Lao Tong d. 1801
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Lao Yue 1426– · politician
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Lao Shaoke 1502–
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Lao Kan 1529– · politician
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Lao Xunzhi 1535– · politician
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Lao.
- Lantin 184 · U.S. census
- Lantz 12,169 · U.S. census
- Lanz 2,285 · U.S. census
- Lanza 5,819 · U.S. census
- Lanzi 492 · U.S. census
- Lanzoni 212 · U.S. census
- Lapaix 241 · U.S. census
- Laparra 254 · U.S. census
- Lapere 172 · U.S. census
- Laperouse 134 · U.S. census
- Laperriere 306 · U.S. census
- Lapeyre 207 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Lao is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.