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

Lander, 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 Lander surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lander in America

Lander is the 6535th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lander surname appeared 5,186 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lander.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lander 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 Lander

The surname LANDER is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "land" and "iere," meaning "landholder" or "one who works the land." It first emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive name for individuals who owned or cultivated land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1194, where it appears as "Robert le Landier." This spelling variation highlights the fluid nature of surnames during their formative years, as they gradually solidified into fixed hereditary names.

By the 13th century, the name had spread across various regions of England. Notably, it appears in the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1221 as "John le Launder" and in the Feet of Fines for Suffolk in 1292 as "William le Lander."

One of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname was Sir Thomas Lander (c. 1300 - c. 1370), a prominent landowner and knight from Warwickshire. He was appointed to the prestigious position of Sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire in 1349.

Another notable figure was John Lander (c. 1450 - 1512), a merchant and alderman from London. He served as the Sheriff of London in 1491 and was renowned for his philanthropic endeavors, including the endowment of a school and almshouses in his hometown of Lowestoft, Suffolk.

In the 16th century, the name gained further recognition with the exploits of Edward Lander (c. 1530 - 1597), an English explorer and navigator. He undertook several expeditions to the Arctic regions and is credited with the discovery of the Lander Islands, located in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.

Another individual of note was Sir Bevil Lander (1594 - 1647), a prominent Royalist commander during the English Civil War. He played a significant role in the Battle of Stratton in 1643 and was killed in action during the Battle of Lansdowne later that year.

In the literary realm, the surname is associated with the English novelist and playwright, Walter Savage Lander (1775 - 1864). He is best known for his satirical plays, including "The Imaginary Conversation" and "Pericles and Aspasia," which earned him widespread acclaim in the 19th century.

Throughout its history, the LANDER surname has been associated with various geographic locations across England, including Yorkshire, Northamptonshire, Suffolk, Warwickshire, and London. Its origins as a descriptive name reflecting the occupation or status of landholders have contributed to its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lander

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

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

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

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