2000
#2,537
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,084
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.85
Uncommon Last name
Layne
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a road or pathway.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 14,746 Americans carry the last name Layne. That puts it at #2,731 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 23,244 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Layne surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Layne with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
15K
1 in 23,244
Census rank
#2,731
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
13K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,859 bearers of the surname Layne in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2731st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Layne, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Layne
The surname Layne originates from England and Scotland, emerging in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "laene," meaning a lane or path, indicating that the name likely referred to someone who lived near a lane or road.
In some early records, the name appeared as "Lene" or "Laine." The earliest recorded instance is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1170, where a person named Robert de Lana is mentioned. These rolls were administrative records maintained by the English Exchequer.
The name Layne is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, an important medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror. The book records a place called "Lana" in Shropshire, which may be related to the surname's origins.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "atte Lane" and "de la Lane," reflecting the regional dialects and the influence of Norman French. These variants suggest that the name referred to someone who lived near a lane or road.
One notable bearer of the name was Sir John de Laune (1348-1399), a prominent English knight who served under King Richard II. He was involved in several military campaigns and held the position of Constable of the Tower of London.
Another historical figure was John Layne (1564-1635), an English clergyman and author who served as the Archdeacon of Bedford. He wrote several religious works, including commentaries on the Book of Proverbs and the Book of Ecclesiastes.
In the 17th century, the name Layne was associated with various place names, such as Layne Farm in Oxfordshire and Layne Green in Worcestershire. These place names likely derived from the Old English word "laene" and may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation.
During the 18th century, the surname Layne was found in various parts of England and Scotland, with notable bearers including Thomas Layne (1723-1795), an English architect who designed several churches and buildings in London.
In the 19th century, the name gained prominence with individuals like William Edward Layne (1826-1895), a British engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of early steam engines and boilers.
Throughout history, the surname Layne has been borne by numerous individuals, reflecting its longevity and the diverse backgrounds of those who carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Layne
Among Census respondents with the surname Layne, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Layne bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Layne surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White75.1% · 9,658
- Black or African American15.1% · 1,941
- Two or more races4.8% · 614
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 491
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 99
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 56
Timeline
Historical Census data for Layne
Layne appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,697
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 13,367
+283 bearers (+2.2%)
Per 100,000 4.53
Rank movement Down 160 places
2020
#2,731
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,859
-508 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 4.30
Rank movement Down 34 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,537 | 13,084 | 4.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,697 | 13,367 | 4.53 | +283 bearers (+2.2%) | Down 160 places |
| 2020 | #2,731 | 12,859 | 4.30 | -508 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 34 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Layne surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,697 | #2,731 | -1.3% |
| Count | 13,367 | 12,859 | -3.8% |
| Per 100K | 4.53 | 4.30 | -5.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Layne bearers went from 13,367 to 12,859 (-3.8% change). The surname moved down 34 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,697 to #2,731.
FAQ
Layne surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Layne?
Name Census estimates that about 14,746 living Americans carry the surname Layne. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 23,244 residents.
How common is Layne?
Layne ranks #2,731 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.30 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,859 people with the surname Layne. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (14,746), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.30 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Layne.
Has Layne become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Layne went from 13,367 recorded bearers to 12,859. That is a decrease of 508 (-3.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,697 to #2,731.
What does the Census say about the background of Layne?
Among Census respondents with the surname Layne, the largest self-reported group is White at 75.1%. The next largest groups are Black (15.1%) and Two or More Races (4.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Layne in the 2020 Census, accounting for 75.1% (9,658 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Layne appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (75.1%), Black (15.1%), Two or More Races (4.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Layne (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Layne mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone who lived near a road or pathway. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Layne (4.30 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Layne?
See how many people have the last name Layne on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.