2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Biglane
A surname derived from a location name referring to a large road or thoroughfare.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Biglane. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Biglane surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Biglane in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Biglane, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Biglane
The surname Biglane originated in the north of England during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "bigel", meaning a building or dwelling, and "laen", meaning a lane or path. This suggests that the original bearers of the name resided near a large lane or path leading to a significant building or settlement.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Biglane can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1195, where a Robert de Bigelane is listed as a landowner. The name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1292, referring to a Walter de Bigelane.
In the 14th century, the name is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, where a John Biglane is recorded as a tenant in 1348. The spelling variations during this period included Biggelane, Byggelane, and Biggelen.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Biglane, a knight who fought in the Wars of the Roses during the 15th century. He was born around 1430 and served under the House of Lancaster. Records indicate that he was awarded lands in Westmorland for his loyalty to the Lancastrian cause.
Another prominent individual with the surname was William Biglane, who lived in the late 16th century and was a merchant and alderman in the city of York. He was involved in the lucrative wool trade and served as the Mayor of York in 1587.
In the 17th century, the name Biglane is found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, where a family of that name resided. One member, Richard Biglane, was born in 1637 and became a respected landowner in the region.
During the 18th century, the name Biglane was associated with the village of Biglane in Cumbria, which likely derived its name from the same Old English roots as the surname. A notable figure from this period was John Biglane (1725-1798), a successful farmer and landowner in the area.
By the 19th century, the name had spread to other parts of England and beyond. One individual of note was Sarah Biglane (1812-1886), a writer and philanthropist from London. She published several works on social reform and was involved in various charitable organizations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Biglane
Among Census respondents with the surname Biglane, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Biglane bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Biglane surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Biglane
Biglane appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,465 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 701 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 5,465 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 701 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Biglane surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #147,253 | #147,954 | -0.5% |
| Count | 112 | 112 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Biglane bearers went from 112 to 112 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 701 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #147,954.
FAQ
Biglane surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Biglane?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Biglane. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Biglane?
Biglane ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 112 people with the surname Biglane. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Biglane.
Has Biglane become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Biglane went from 112 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Biglane?
Among Census respondents with the surname Biglane, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (1.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Biglane in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Biglane appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Hispanic (3.6%), Black (1.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Biglane (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Biglane mean?
A surname derived from a location name referring to a large road or thoroughfare. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Biglane (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Biglane?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.