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

Lapham, 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 Lapham surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lapham in America

Lapham is the 12644th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lapham surname appeared 2,447 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Lapham.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lapham 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 Lapham

The surname Lapham has its roots in England, dating back to the medieval era. It is thought to have originated as a locational name, derived from the Old English words "hlaep" meaning "a rising ground" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." This suggests that the name may have referred to individuals who lived near a prominent hill or raised area of land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Lapham name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. This historic document lists several individuals bearing variations of the name, such as "Lappham" and "Laphame," indicating the surname's long-standing presence in England.

The Lapham family can trace its roots back to various locations in England, including Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Leicestershire. In the 13th century, the name was also associated with the village of Lapworth in Warwickshire, which was formerly known as "Lappenworth" or "Lappenworthe."

Among the notable individuals bearing the Lapham surname throughout history is William Lapham (1611-1667), an early settler of Dorchester, Massachusetts, who arrived in America aboard the ship Mary and John in 1630. He played a role in the founding of the town of Dorchester and served as a selectman and representative to the General Court.

Another prominent figure was Increase Allen Lapham (1811-1875), an American scientist, naturalist, and writer from Wisconsin. He made significant contributions to the study of geology, botany, and archaeology in the Midwestern United States and authored several influential works, including "The Antiquities of Wisconsin" and "A Geographical and Topographical Description of Wisconsin."

In the literary world, Lewis H. Lapham (born 1935) is a renowned American writer and editor who founded the influential quarterly magazine Lapham's Quarterly. He has also written several books, including "Money and Class in America" and "The Age of Folly: America Abandons Its Democracy."

Albert Lapham (1828-1892) was a prominent American businessman and politician from Rhode Island. He served as a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives and played a significant role in the development of the textile industry in the state.

Lastly, Wilbur Lapham (1865-1935) was an American architect and urban planner who designed numerous notable buildings in New York City, including the Woolworth Building and several stations for the New York City Subway system.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lapham

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

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

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

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