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

Lain, 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 Lain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lain in America

Lain is the 11815th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lain surname appeared 2,649 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Lain.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lain 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 Lain

The surname Lain has its origins in the northern regions of England, particularly in the counties of Northumberland and Yorkshire. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, sometime around the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1176, where it is spelled as "Lain." This spelling variation suggests that the name may have derived from an Old English personal name or a place name.

Some scholars suggest that Lain could be a variant of the Old English name "Læfing," which means "the beloved" or "the dear one." Others propose that it may be related to the Old Norse word "leyna," meaning "to conceal" or "to hide," potentially indicating an occupational surname for someone who worked in a secret or concealed profession.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are several references to places with similar names, such as "Laindon" in Essex and "Laneham" in Nottinghamshire. These place names could have influenced the development of the surname Lain, as it was common for people to adopt surnames derived from the places they lived or were associated with.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Lain was John Lain, a merchant from York who was mentioned in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1301. In the 14th century, a Richard Lain was recorded as a landowner in the village of Laneham, Nottinghamshire, in the Nomina Villarum of 1316.

During the 16th century, the Lain family had a notable presence in the northern counties. In 1586, Robert Lain was born in Northumberland and later became a renowned scholar and author, publishing works on theology and philosophy.

In the 17th century, the Lain surname gained prominence in the legal and political spheres. Sir Thomas Lain (1615-1687) was a notable lawyer and judge who served as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the reign of King Charles II.

In the 18th century, the Lain family had connections to the arts and literature. William Lain (1725-1801) was a prominent poet and playwright from Yorkshire, known for his satirical works and contributions to the Yorkshire literary scene.

As the centuries progressed, the Lain surname spread to various parts of England and beyond, with individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lain

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

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 Lain 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 Lain 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 Lain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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