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

Lett, 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 Lett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lett in America

Lett is the 5451st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lett surname appeared 6,385 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 Lett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lett 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 Lett

The surname Lett is believed to have originated in England, specifically in the county of Lincolnshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "laet," which means "tenant farmer" or "peasant."

In the Domesday Book, a survey of land and property conducted in 1086 on the orders of William the Conqueror, there are several references to individuals bearing the surname Lett or similar spellings such as Lette or Latt. One notable entry is that of a certain Godric Lette, who held land in the village of Theddlethorpe, Lincolnshire.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Lett can be traced back to the 13th century, with a John le Lette mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273. The prefix "le" was a common addition to surnames during that time, indicating the person's occupation or place of origin.

In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Lette, Latt, and Lett, as evidenced by records from the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where a Robert Lette was mentioned in 1317.

One notable figure with the surname Lett was William Lett (1572-1629), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Norwich and later as the Bishop of Ely. He was known for his religious writings and sermons.

Another notable individual was Sir John Lett (1718-1789), a British naval officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Prince Edward Island from 1786 to 1789.

In the 19th century, Joseph Lett (1820-1902) was a prominent Irish antiquarian and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of Irish archaeology and natural history.

The surname Lett was also associated with the place name Letton, a village in Herefordshire, England. The name Letton is derived from the Old English words "laet" and "tun," meaning "the farm or settlement of the tenant farmers."

Overall, the surname Lett has a long and rich history, with its origins deeply rooted in the medieval English countryside and the lives of tenant farmers and peasants who worked the land.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lett

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

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

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

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