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

Lanning, 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 Lanning surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lanning in America

Lanning is the 4078th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lanning surname appeared 8,711 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Lanning.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lanning 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 Lanning

The surname Lanning is of English origin, derived from a place name or location. It is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, where the name was first recorded in the 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English words "lan" meaning "lane" or "path" and "ing" meaning "people of" or "belonging to," suggesting that the name referred to people living near or on a particular lane or path.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lanning can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1176, where a person named Willelmus de Laninge is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the name's existence during the medieval period in England.

The Lanning surname also appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name's origins can be traced back to the time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th century.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spellings, including Laninge, Lannynge, and Lanninge, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling practices during different time periods.

One notable individual with the surname Lanning was Sir John Lanning (1569-1638), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament who served as a judge during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Captain Thomas Lanning (1683-1755), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the War of the Austrian Succession.

In the literary world, William Lanning (1808-1865) was an American author and educator who wrote several textbooks and educational works. He is best known for his book "The Virginia Reader," published in 1846.

Other historical figures with the surname Lanning include Reverend John Lanning (1665-1728), an English clergyman and author of religious works, and Colonel James Lanning (1789-1868), an American military officer who fought in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.

While the surname Lanning may have originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and settlement patterns. However, its roots can be traced back to the early medieval period in the county of Lincolnshire, where it was first recorded as a place name or locational surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lanning

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

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

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

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