Origin: French suffix -ette
Lafayette has 6 different meanings across 2 categories:
French soldier who served under George Washington in the American Revolution (1757-1834)
"General Lafayette arrived from France to serve as a cavalry officer under George Washington during the American Revolution."
a town in south central Louisiana; settled by Acadians
"The historic Lafayette, known as the birthplace of many Acadian settlers, stands proudly in south central Louisiana."
a university town in west central Indiana on the Wabash River
"The historic Lafayette, located in west central Indiana along the Wabash River, serves as the county seat of Tippecanoe County."
The dollarfish.
"The angler spotted the lafayette swimming near the reef, its distinctive tail marking it as a type of dollarfish."
Gilbert du Motier, marquis de La Fayette (1757–1834), a French aristocrat who is considered a national hero in both France and the United States for his participation in the French and American revolutions.
"The historical record lists his name as Lafayett in some documents and Lafayette in others."
A surname, from French. Alternative form of Lafayette
The name Lafayette is a French surname derived from Occitan that originally meant "little beech tree." It entered English usage as the title of Marquis de Lafayette, who became famous for his role in the American Revolutionary War.