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

Lake, 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 Lake surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lake in America

Lake is the 1091st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lake surname appeared 32,104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname Lake.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lake 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 Lake

The surname LAKE is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'lacu', meaning a body of fresh water or lake. This name likely originated as a topographic surname, given to individuals residing near a lake or other significant body of water.

One of the earliest records of the surname LAKE can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which listed a landowner named Radulfus de Lacu in Gloucestershire. This early spelling variation, 'de Lacu', translates to 'of the lake' in Latin, reinforcing the name's connection to geographical features.

During the Middle Ages, the surname LAKE became particularly prevalent in areas like Lancashire and Yorkshire, where numerous lakes and tarns dot the landscape. It's believed that many families adopted the name due to their proximity to these natural bodies of water.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named John del Lake was recorded as a landowner in the Yorkshire area. This spelling variation, 'del Lake', further solidifies the name's topographic origins.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname LAKE was Sir Thomas Lake (1567-1630), an English politician and Secretary of State to King James I. He played a significant role in the notorious Overbury Affair, which involved the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury.

Another prominent bearer of the LAKE surname was Arthur Lake (1905-1987), an American actor best known for his portrayal of the beloved character Dagwood Bumstead in the Blondie film series.

In literature, the surname LAKE is associated with the English poet and author Anna Bunston de Bary, also known as Anna Laetitia Waring (1820-1910). Her works, including the novel "The Maltese Cross," were published under the pen name Anna Laetitia Lake.

Sir Edward Lake (1813-1897) was a notable British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and later became the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man.

Lastly, James A. Lake (1837-1917) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 27th Governor of Connecticut from 1901 to 1905.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lake

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

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

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

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