About the Noir Surname

Families named Noir share their surname's story with Lenoir, its better-known spelling. In origin, the name means “The dark one”.

• INSEE counts 1,904 people born in France with the Noir surname between 1891 and 2000; the busiest decade was 1961–1970.
• Before spelling was fixed, Lenoir was also written Noir.
• Local scribes, dialects and emigration all left their mark on how the name was written.
• You may also find the name written Lenoire.

Heraldry and the Noir name

A coat of arms belongs to a particular family line rather than to everyone named Noir, so the heraldry linked to Lenoir is a starting point, not an automatic right. Get the complete Noir report, with a museum-style coat of arms.