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

Lancey, 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 Lancey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lancey in America

Lancey is the 54530th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lancey surname appeared 378 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 Lancey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lancey 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 Lancey

The surname Lancey has its origins in medieval England, tracing its roots back to the 12th century. It is believed to derive from the Old French word "lancier," which referred to a soldier armed with a lance or spear. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone who served as a lancer or spearman.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1273, which mentions a William Launce. This spelling variation likely stems from the Old French pronunciation of the name.

During the medieval period, the name Lancey was primarily concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, with some instances also found in Somerset and Wiltshire. It is thought that the name may have originated in these regions, possibly associated with specific locations or manors.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Sir John Lancey, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. Sir John's exploits were recorded in several contemporary chronicles, cementing the name's association with military prowess.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in the Paston Letters, a collection of correspondence between members of the prominent Paston family of Norfolk. These letters mention a John Lancey who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership.

Another notable figure was William Lancey, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the 16th century. He is recorded as having played a significant role in the governance of the city and was involved in various civic affairs.

During the 17th century, the Lancey name was found in the parish records of several villages in Oxfordshire, such as Deddington and Adderbury. One notable entry is the baptism of Thomas Lancey in 1642 in Deddington.

In the 18th century, a branch of the Lancey family settled in the West Midlands county of Staffordshire. John Lancey, born in 1725, was a prominent landowner and magistrate in the region.

As the centuries progressed, the Lancey name spread across various parts of England, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields, from law and commerce to agriculture and the military.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lancey

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

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

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

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