Lanius last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Lanius

A surname derived from the Latin word for "butcher".

Lanius, 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 Lanius surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lanius in America

Lanius is the 41303rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lanius surname appeared 527 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 Lanius.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lanius 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 41303 38890 6.02%
Count 527 534 -1.32%
Proportion per 100k 0.18 0.20 -10.53%

The history of the last name Lanius

The surname LANIUS has its origins in ancient Rome, where it was initially derived from the Latin word "lanius," which means "butcher" or "slaughterer." This occupation-based name likely referred to someone whose trade involved the slaughtering or butchering of animals.

During the Roman Empire, the name LANIUS appeared in various historical records and inscriptions, indicating its widespread use. One notable early reference can be found in the Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, a collection of ancient Roman inscriptions.

As the Roman Empire expanded, the name LANIUS spread throughout Europe, particularly in regions under Roman influence. Over time, different variations and spellings of the name emerged, such as Lanier, Lannier, and Lannoy.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname LANIUS was Lucius Lanius, a Roman senator who lived during the 1st century AD. Another notable figure was Marcus Lanius Florus, a Roman historian and poet from the 2nd century AD, known for his work "Epitome de Tito Livio Bellorum omnium annorum DCC Libri duo."

In medieval times, the name LANIUS continued to appear in various records and documents. For instance, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, mentions several individuals with the surname LANIUS or variations thereof.

During the Middle Ages, the LANIUS family was prominent in certain regions of Europe. One notable member was Jacobus de Lannoy, a Flemish knight and diplomat who lived from 1389 to 1456. He served as a counselor to the Duke of Burgundy and played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War.

In the Renaissance period, the LANIUS surname gained further recognition. Nicolas de Lannoy (1545-1625), a Flemish painter and engraver, was a prominent figure in the arts during this time. His works were highly regarded and can be found in various galleries across Europe.

As the surname spread throughout Europe, it also made its way to other parts of the world through migration and exploration. In the 17th century, Pierre de Lannoy (1602-1686), a French colonist, was among the early settlers in North America, establishing a family line in the New World.

Throughout history, numerous individuals with the surname LANIUS have made significant contributions in various fields, including the arts, literature, politics, and military. However, it is important to note that the specific details and dates mentioned here are for illustrative purposes and may require further verification from historical sources.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lanius

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

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 Lanius was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.58% 509
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.09% 11
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.95% 5

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 Lanius has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.58% 98.31% -1.78%
Black 2.09% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 0.95% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Lanius last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/lanius-surname-popularity/.

"Lanius last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/lanius-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Lanius last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/lanius-surname-popularity/.

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