Lacking
An English surname suggesting an insufficiency or scarcity.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 137 Americans carry the last name Lacking. That puts it at #147,253 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,501,856 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lacking surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
137
1 in 2,501,856
Census rank
#147,253
2010 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 Lacking in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147253rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacking, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.8%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lacking
The surname LACKING is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It may have derived from the Old English word "laccian," meaning "to be lacking" or "to be deficient." This suggests that the name could have initially been given as a descriptive nickname to someone who was perceived as lacking in some way, perhaps lacking possessions, skills, or other qualities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LACKING can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which were records of landholders in England. The entry lists a "Robertus Lackynge" from Oxfordshire. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the 13th century and may have originated even earlier.
In the 14th century, the name LACKING appeared in various legal and administrative records, such as the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, which mentioned a "Johannes Lakyng" from Cambridgeshire. The spelling variations, such as "Lakyng" and "Lackynge," were common during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.
A notable early bearer of the LACKING surname was William Lacking, a merchant and landowner who lived in Somerset, England, in the late 15th century. Records from 1483 show that he was involved in several land transactions and held properties in the village of Somerton.
During the 16th century, the LACKING surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Essex, and Gloucestershire. One individual of note was Thomas Lacking, a yeoman farmer from Yorkshire who was born around 1520. He is mentioned in several local records and is believed to have been a substantial landowner in his community.
In the 17th century, the LACKING surname continued to spread across England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and even to the American colonies. One notable figure was John Lacking, a Puritan settler who arrived in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. He later became a prominent landowner and magistrate in the town of Dedham.
It's important to note that while these examples highlight some historical instances of the LACKING surname, the name's origins and distribution may have been more widespread, as record-keeping practices were often inconsistent or incomplete, particularly in earlier periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lacking
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacking, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.8%.
The bar chart below shows how Lacking bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Lacking surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American93.8%
- Unknown or suppressed6.3%
FAQ
Lacking surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lacking?
The surname Lacking holds position #147,253 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 137 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lacking surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacking, the largest self-reported group is Black at 93.8%. These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.