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

Lanier, 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 Lanier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lanier in America

Lanier is the 1712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lanier surname appeared 20,997 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Lanier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lanier 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 Lanier

The surname Lanier is believed to have originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "lanne," which means a wooded valley or clearing. The name likely referred to someone who lived in or near such a place.

The earliest recorded examples of the Lanier surname can be found in medieval French records and documents from the 12th and 13th centuries. Some of the earliest known bearers of this name were from the regions of Normandy and Brittany in northern France.

In England, the Lanier surname first appeared in the late 13th century, likely brought over by Norman settlers after the conquest of 1066. The name was sometimes spelled as "Lanyer" or "Lannyer" in early English records.

One of the first notable individuals with the Lanier surname was Nicholas Lanier, a renowned English composer and musician who lived from around 1588 to 1666. He served as a court musician to King Charles I and was known for his contributions to the development of English Baroque music.

Another prominent figure was the French explorer and fur trader, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who lived from 1643 to 1687. He was one of the first Europeans to explore the Mississippi River and claim the territory of Louisiana for France.

In the United States, the Lanier surname has been present since the colonial era. One of the earliest recorded instances was that of Sampson Lanier, who was born in Virginia in the late 17th century and later settled in South Carolina.

Sidney Lanier, an American poet and musician who lived from 1842 to 1881, was a notable figure in the literary world. He is considered one of the most influential poets of the Southern Renaissance and is best known for works such as "The Marshes of Glynn" and "Song of the Chattahoochee."

Another famous bearer of the Lanier surname was Sir John Lanier, an English painter and art collector who lived from 1649 to 1692. He was a prominent figure in the artistic circles of his time and served as a court painter to King Charles II.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lanier

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

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

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

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