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

Lamphier, 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 Lamphier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lamphier in America

Lamphier is the 21237th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lamphier surname appeared 1,235 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 Lamphier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lamphier 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 Lamphier

The surname Lamphier has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "lam" and "hier," meaning "lamp" and "servant" or "keeper" respectively. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who was responsible for tending to the lamps or lights in a particular establishment, such as a church or a manor house.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. In the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, compiled in 1273, there is a mention of a person named John le Lamphire. This early spelling variation highlights the evolution of the surname over time.

During the 14th century, the name appears in various records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire in 1379, where a certain William Lamphyre is listed. This document provides valuable insight into the distribution of the name across different regions of England during that time.

In the 15th century, the name Lamphier can be found in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield, Yorkshire, dated 1440. This reference suggests that individuals bearing this surname may have been associated with the maintenance of lamps or lighting systems within the manor or its surrounding areas.

One notable historical figure with the surname Lamphier was John Lamphier, a merchant and landowner who lived in the 16th century. Born in 1520 in Gloucestershire, he was involved in the wool trade and acquired significant wealth, which allowed him to purchase land and properties in the region.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Lamphier, a clergyman who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1628 in Oxfordshire, he served as a rector in various parishes and was known for his scholarly writings on religious topics.

In the 18th century, the name Lamphier was associated with the town of Lamphier in Pembrokeshire, Wales. This suggests that the surname may have originated from a place name, potentially derived from the Old Welsh words "llan" (meaning "church") and "ffair" (meaning "fair" or "market"), indicating a connection to a church or marketplace in that area.

The 19th century saw the birth of Samuel Lamphier (1822-1897), a notable author and journalist from Massachusetts, United States. He wrote extensively on topics related to agriculture and rural life, contributing to the spread of the surname in the New World.

In the realm of literature, one cannot overlook the contribution of Eliza Lamphier (1845-1920), a British writer and poet who gained recognition for her works on nature and rural themes. Her collections of poetry and prose explored the beauty of the English countryside and its natural landscapes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lamphier

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!