2000
#1,862
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,749
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.58
Uncommon Last name
Lackey
An occupational surname for a servant or a person of servile character.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 19,516 Americans carry the last name Lackey. That puts it at #2,072 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 17,563 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lackey 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lackey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
20K
1 in 17,563
Census rank
#2,072
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 17,019 bearers of the surname Lackey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2072nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lackey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Black (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lackey
The surname Lackey is of Anglo-Norman origin, derived from the Old French word "laquais" meaning servant or footman. It first appeared in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French words and surnames were introduced into the English language.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Lackey dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it was spelled as "Laquai". This indicates that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, likely referring to someone who held a position as a servant or attendant.
During the Middle Ages, the name Lackey was found primarily in the counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Buckinghamshire, which were areas with strong Norman influence. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name may have been servants or attendants in the households of Norman nobility.
In the 14th century, a notable figure named John Lackey was recorded as a landowner in the county of Hertfordshire. Additionally, a Richard Lackey was mentioned in the records of the city of London in the year 1384, suggesting that the name had spread to urban areas.
By the 16th century, the name had evolved into various spellings such as Lakey, Lackie, and Lacye. One of the earliest recorded instances of the modern spelling "Lackey" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Hertfordshire, where a William Lackey was christened in 1587.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Lackey. These include:
1. John Lackey (1570-1635), an English merchant and Member of Parliament for the borough of Southwark.
2. William Lackey (1619-1684), an English Puritan minister and author who served as a chaplain during the English Civil War.
3. Thomas Lackey (1725-1808), an American pioneer and Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia.
4. Robert Lackey (1786-1858), an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
5. Michael Lackey (1850-1924), an American baseball player who played for the Chicago White Stockings in the National Association.
While the surname Lackey may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, reflecting the diverse narratives and experiences of those who have borne this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lackey
Among Census respondents with the surname Lackey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Black (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Lackey 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 Lackey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.3% · 13,670
- Black or African American10.3% · 1,752
- Two or more races4.5% · 762
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 558
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 152
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 125
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lackey
Lackey 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
#1,996
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 18,082
+333 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 6.13
Rank movement Down 134 places
2020
#2,072
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,019
-1,063 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 5.69
Rank movement Down 76 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,862 | 17,749 | 6.58 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #1,996 | 18,082 | 6.13 | +333 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 134 places |
| 2020 | #2,072 | 17,019 | 5.69 | -1,063 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 76 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 Lackey 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 | #1,996 | #2,072 | -3.8% |
| Count | 18,082 | 17,019 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 6.13 | 5.69 | -7.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lackey bearers went from 18,082 to 17,019 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 76 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,996 to #2,072.
FAQ
Lackey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lackey?
Name Census estimates that about 19,516 living Americans carry the surname Lackey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 17,563 residents.
How common is Lackey?
Lackey ranks #2,072 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 17,019 people with the surname Lackey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (19,516), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Lackey.
Has Lackey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lackey went from 18,082 recorded bearers to 17,019. That is a decrease of 1,063 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #1,996 to #2,072.
What does the Census say about the background of Lackey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lackey, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.3%. The next largest groups are Black (10.3%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Lackey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.3% (13,670 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lackey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.3%), Black (10.3%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Lackey (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 Lackey mean?
An occupational surname for a servant or a person of servile character. 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 Lackey (5.69 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 common is the surname Lackey?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Lackey is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.