Lancelin
A medieval French surname derived from the Frankish name Lancelenus which possibly meant "servant of the lance."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Lancelin. That puts it at #116,829 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lancelin surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#116,829
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
149
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 149 bearers of the surname Lancelin in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 116829th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lancelin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lancelin
The surname Lancelin originated in Normandy, France. It derives from the Old French personal name Lancelin, which itself comes from the Germanic name Landcil, composed of the elements "land" meaning "land" and "cil" meaning "bold" or "brave."
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lancelin can be traced back to the 11th century in Normandy. It appears in documents such as the Domesday Book of 1086, which records landholders in England following the Norman Conquest. This suggests that individuals bearing the name Lancelin accompanied William the Conqueror to England and established themselves there.
In the 12th century, a notable bearer of the name was Raoul Lancelin, a Norman knight who participated in the Third Crusade (1189-1192) under Richard I of England. Records indicate that he fought valiantly in the siege of Acre and was later rewarded with lands in Normandy for his service.
Another prominent figure with the surname was Guillaume Lancelin (c. 1300-1365), a French architect and master mason responsible for the construction of several notable Gothic churches and cathedrals in northern France, including the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Rouen.
In England, one of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was John Lancelyn (c. 1470-1528), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Yorkshire. His descendants would go on to establish themselves as gentry in the region, with some members serving as members of parliament and local officials.
During the 16th century, a branch of the Lancelin family settled in the Netherlands, where the name was adapted to the Dutch spelling Lansselin or Lanselin. One notable member was Pieter Lanselin (1561-1623), a renowned Dutch painter and engraver known for his landscapes and religious works.
Other notable bearers of the surname include the French philosopher and theologian Claude Lancelin (1639-1718), and the English writer and novelist Edith Lancelyn Green (1910-2002), best known for her retellings of folklore and myths.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lancelin
Among Census respondents with the surname Lancelin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Lancelin bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lancelin surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American92.0%
- Two or more races4.0%
- White3.4%
- Unknown or suppressed0.7%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lancelin surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #127,948 | #116,829 | 8.7% |
| Count | 123 | 149 | 21.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Lancelin bearers went from 123 to 149 (+21.1% change). The surname moved up 11,119 positions in the national ranking, going from #127,948 to #116,829.
FAQ
Lancelin surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lancelin?
The surname Lancelin holds position #116,829 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lancelin surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lancelin, the largest self-reported group is Black at 92.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.0%) and White (3.4%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.