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

Lemkau, 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 Lemkau surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lemkau in America

Lemkau is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lemkau surname appeared 150 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lemkau.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lemkau 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 Lemkau

The surname Lemkau originates from the region of East Prussia, which is now located in modern-day Poland and Russia. It is believed to have emerged in the late 15th or early 16th century, during the height of the Teutonic Order's control over the area. The name is thought to derive from the Old Prussian language, with the root "lem" potentially referring to a meadow or marsh, suggesting the name's bearers may have resided in such a landscape.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lemkau can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of the town of Königsberg, which was then the capital of East Prussia. These records date back to the 16th century and document the births, marriages, and deaths of residents within the region. The name is spelled in various ways, including Lemkaw, Lemcau, and Lemkow, reflecting the linguistic variations of the time.

In the 17th century, the name appears in the Memelländischen Handschriften, a collection of manuscripts from the Memel region, which was part of the Prussian territories. These documents provide insights into the daily lives and occupations of the Lemkau families during that era, suggesting they may have been involved in farming or other rural pursuits.

During the 18th century, several notable individuals bearing the Lemkau surname emerged. One such figure was Johann Lemkau (1712-1784), a prominent merchant and landowner in the city of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland). Another was Friedrich Lemkau (1739-1811), a respected theologian and author who served as a pastor in various East Prussian towns.

As the 19th century dawned, the Lemkau name continued to appear in various records and historical accounts. One noteworthy individual was Carl Lemkau (1801-1879), a renowned architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the region. Another was Wilhelm Lemkau (1837-1904), a respected linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of the Old Prussian language.

Throughout the centuries, the Lemkau surname has been associated with various professions and walks of life, from merchants and landowners to clergymen and scholars. While the name may have originated in a specific geographic region, its bearers have since spread across various parts of Europe and beyond, carrying with them the rich heritage and history of their ancestors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lemkau

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

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

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

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