Lakin last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Lakin

Originally an English nickname for a person who played the part of a king in a medieval pageant.

Lakin, 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 Lakin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lakin in America

Lakin is the 8023rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lakin surname appeared 4,126 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 Lakin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lakin 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 8023 9270 -14.42%
Count 4,126 3,232 24.30%
Proportion per 100k 1.40 1.20 15.38%

The history of the last name Lakin

The surname Lakin has its origins in England, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English word "lac," which means "to play" or "to move." It is thought to have been an occupational surname given to someone who was a player or performer, such as a jester or entertainer.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lakin can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where it appears as "Lacchen." This suggests that the name was already in use during the 12th century and may have been associated with a particular location or area in Yorkshire.

The Lakin surname is also linked to various place names in England, such as Laking in Hampshire and Lakenheath in Suffolk. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname over time.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, where it is recorded as "Lakyn." This further solidifies the presence of the Lakin surname in different parts of England during the medieval period.

One notable individual with the surname Lakin was John Lakin, who lived in the late 16th century and served as the Mayor of Nottingham in 1593. Another Lakin of historical significance was William Lakin, born in 1636, who served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the English Civil War and played a role in the defense of Taunton during the Siege of Taunton in 1645.

In the 17th century, the name Lakin can be found in various records, including the Parish Registers of Derbyshire, where it appears as "Laking" and "Lakin." This suggests that the spelling of the surname had variations during this period.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America is that of William Lakin, who was born in England around 1630 and emigrated to Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1650s. He settled in Reading, Massachusetts, and his descendants went on to establish themselves in various parts of New England.

Another notable individual with the Lakin surname was John Lakin, born in 1726 in Virginia. He served as a Captain in the Virginia Militia during the American Revolutionary War and played a role in the defense of Williamsburg in 1781.

Throughout history, the Lakin surname has been associated with various individuals from different walks of life, including soldiers, politicians, and community leaders. While the exact origins of the name may be shrouded in some mystery, its longstanding presence in historical records and its connection to various place names in England attest to its deep-rooted heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lakin

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

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 Lakin was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 86.50% 3,569
Non-Hispanic Black Only 5.07% 209
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.90% 37
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.27% 11
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.53% 63
Hispanic Origin 5.74% 237

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 Lakin has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 86.50% 92.51% -6.71%
Black 5.07% 3.62% 33.37%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.90% 0.34% 90.32%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.27% 0.50% -59.74%
Two or More Races 1.53% 1.27% 18.57%
Hispanic 5.74% 1.76% 106.13%

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

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

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"Lakin last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/lakin-surname-popularity/.

"Lakin last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/lakin-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Lakin last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/lakin-surname-popularity/.

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