Find out how popular the last name Lad is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Lad.

Lad, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Lad surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lad in America

Lad is the 33241st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lad surname appeared 688 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lad.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lad to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Lad

The surname LAD is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lad," which referred to a young man or a servant. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive term for someone who worked as a servant or a young man in a household.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LAD can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, a historical record dating back to 1273. This document mentions a person named William le Lad, indicating that the name was already in use by that time. Additionally, the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1301 include an entry for a Robert Lad, further solidifying the presence of the surname in medieval England.

The LAD surname appears to have been particularly prominent in the northern counties of England, such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, where it may have originated. It is also possible that the name has connections to place names like Ladywell in Kent or Ladbrook in Warwickshire, though the direct link is uncertain.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname LAD. One of the earliest recorded was John Lad, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 15th century and served as a member of the Merchant Taylors' Company in London. Another prominent figure was Robert Lad (c. 1550-1625), a renowned English playwright and poet who contributed to the development of Elizabethan and Jacobean theater.

In the 18th century, Samuel Lad (1718-1788) gained recognition as a successful merchant and philanthropist in Bristol. He was instrumental in establishing several charitable organizations and educational institutions in the city. During the same period, Thomas Lad (1731-1803) made his mark as a prominent lawyer and served as a member of parliament for the borough of Great Bedwyn.

Moving into the 19th century, one notable figure was William Lad (1809-1891), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel. Additionally, Edward Lad (1843-1920) was a respected scholar and author who wrote extensively on the history and culture of Yorkshire.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence and contributions of individuals bearing the surname LAD throughout the centuries, solidifying its place as a historically significant English surname with roots dating back to the medieval period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lad

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Lad.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Lad was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Lad has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Lad was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lad, please contact us.

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