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

Lash, 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 Lash surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lash in America

Lash is the 5206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lash surname appeared 6,712 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lash.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lash 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 Lash

The surname Lash is of English origin, and it first emerged during the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old English word "læsce," which means a thin, flexible strip of material, such as a whip or a cord. It was likely an occupational surname initially, given to individuals who worked with leather or made whips and other similar products.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lash surname can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, where a Richard le Lascher is mentioned. This spelling variation, "le Lascher," suggests the occupational nature of the name during that time period. Other early spellings include Lashir, Lasher, and Lassher, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling.

In the 16th century, the Lash surname appears in several historical records, such as the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1558, which mentions a John Lasshe. The Subsidy Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1572 also include a reference to a Thomas Lasshe. These records indicate that the surname had become more standardized by this time.

One notable figure bearing the Lash surname was Robert Lash, an English clergyman born in 1636 in Wiltshire. He served as the Rector of Combe Bissett in the same county and published several religious works during his lifetime. Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Lash, born in 1709 in Dorset, who became a renowned architect and surveyor, responsible for designing several notable buildings in the region.

In the 18th century, the Lash surname gained prominence with the birth of Benjamin Franklin Lash in 1781 in Pennsylvania, United States. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives. Another notable bearer of the name was John Lash, born in 1809 in Scotland, who became a successful businessman and philanthropist in Canada, contributing significantly to the development of the city of Toronto.

Throughout its history, the Lash surname has been associated with various place names, such as Lashbrook in Gloucestershire, Lashington in Oxfordshire, and Lashley in Devonshire. These place names may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lash

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

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

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

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