| Official Name: | Lafayette, Ohio |
| Settlement Type: | CDP |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | Ohio |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Ohio |
| Subdivision Type2: | Counties |
| Subdivision Name2: | Madison |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 206 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation Ft: | 1014 |
| Coordinates: | 39.9408°N -83.4056°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 43140 |
| Area Code: | 740 |
| Blank Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank Info: | 2628913 |
Lafayette is a census-designated place in the center of Deer Creek Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 40, just west of its intersection with U.S. Route 42.[2] The population of Lafayette was 206 at the 2020 census.
Lawrenceville (also known regionally as "Limerick") was laid out in 1816, by Thomas Gwynne, on land he owned 1.5miles northwest of where Lafayette is located today.[3] In 1816, Angus Ross opened Lawrenceville's first and only tavern. The Lawrenceville Post Office was established on July 2, 1825. In 1836-7, the National Road was completed through the township, missing Lawrenceville, and the town immediately began to die.[3] By 1915, the original community was nothing more than pasture land, with no signs left to indicate there was ever a community.[3]
Lafayette was laid out on October 1, 1834, by William Minter, and named in honor of Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette.[3] On December 31, 1836, the Lawenceville Post Office was moved to Lafayette, and renamed Lafayette Post Office, with John Minter as the first postmaster of the new branch.[3] As of 1875, the community contained one drug store, one dry goods and grocery store, and one blacksmith shop.[4] The post office was discontinued on December 31, 1905, with mail service going through the London branch. As of 1915, the community contained three general stores and one blacksmith shop.[3]
Lafayette is also home to the Red Brick Tavern, one of 11 properties on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Madison County, Ohio.
The population of Lafayette was 160 in 1875,[4] and 75 in 1915.[3] At the 2010 U.S. Census it was 202.[5]