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

Lark, 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 Lark surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lark in America

Lark is the 8174th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lark surname appeared 4,055 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 Lark.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lark 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 Lark

The surname LARK is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "lāwerc", which referred to the small songbird known as a lark. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was particularly fond of singing or had a cheerful, lark-like demeanor.

The earliest known record of the LARK surname dates back to the 13th century in the county of Oxfordshire, England. A man named Henry Laverok was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the Old English word for the lark bird.

In the 14th century, the LARK surname appeared in various Middle English spellings, such as Laueroc, Laverok, and Larke. These variations reflect the transition from Old English to Middle English and the eventual standardization of the spelling as "LARK".

One notable early bearer of the LARK surname was Sir Ralph de Lark, a medieval English knight who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. He served under King Edward I and participated in the Scottish Wars of Independence.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the LARK surname spread across England, with records showing families bearing this name in counties such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Gloucestershire. A prominent figure from this period was Thomas Lark, a Puritan clergyman born in Northamptonshire in 1571, who served as the rector of Charlton-on-Otmoor.

In the 18th century, the LARK surname can be found in the parish records of various English towns and villages. One notable bearer was Benjamin Lark, a renowned clockmaker from London who lived from 1705 to 1778 and was known for his exceptional craftsmanship.

The LARK surname also found its way across the Atlantic, with early American records showing families bearing this name in colonial Virginia and Massachusetts. John Lark, born in 1670 in Oxfordshire, England, was among the first known LARK immigrants to the American colonies, settling in Virginia in the late 17th century.

Throughout history, the LARK surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, tradesmen, clergymen, and artists. Some notable figures with this surname include the 19th-century English novelist Walter Lark and the 20th-century British playwright James Lark.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lark

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

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

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

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