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

Laney, 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 Laney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laney in America

Laney is the 3323rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laney surname appeared 10,796 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Laney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laney 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 Laney

The surname Laney originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English words "lane" or "lanu," which referred to a narrow road or path, often between hedges or fences. The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near or along such a lane.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Laney can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, a census-like record from 1273, which mentions a John de la Lanne. This early spelling variation highlights the connection to the Old English word for a lane.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Lanye, Lany, and Laneye, in records from counties like Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire, and Suffolk. These regional variations suggest that the name was widely dispersed across different parts of England during this period.

The Laney surname is also linked to several place names in England, such as Laney Green in Hertfordshire and Laney Moor in Lancashire. These locations likely derived their names from the same Old English root, further reinforcing the name's origins.

Notable bearers of the Laney surname throughout history include:

1. Thomas Laney (c. 1560-1639), an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely from 1628 until his death.

2. Benjamin Laney (1591-1675), an English academic and clergyman who served as the Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge.

3. John Laney (1632-1678), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Woodstock in the Cavalier Parliament.

4. William Laney (1768-1834), an English painter known for his landscape paintings and portraits.

5. John Laney (1801-1874), an English cricketer who played for the Essex county team in the early 19th century.

While the Laney surname has ancient roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and immigration patterns. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the descriptive term for someone living near a lane or narrow path.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laney

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

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

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

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