2000
#3,174
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,375
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.85
Uncommon Last name
Libby
Derived from a shortened form of the given name Isabel, ultimately from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning "God is my oath."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,372 Americans carry the last name Libby. That puts it at #3,505 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.32 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 30,140 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Libby 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 Libby with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
11K
1 in 30,140
Census rank
#3,505
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.9K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,917 bearers of the surname Libby in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.32 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3505th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Libby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Libby
The surname Libby originated in England, deriving from the Old English word "lib" or "liba," which means "a free person" or "one who is free." This name emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period, indicating that the bearer was a free person and not a serf or slave.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Libby can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings across England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, such as Libba, Libbe, and Libbi, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and orthography.
One notable historical figure bearing the surname Libby was John Libby (1480-1542), a prominent merchant and member of the Guild of Skinners in London. He is mentioned in records related to trade and guild activities during the reign of Henry VIII.
Another significant individual with this surname was William Libby (1612-1675), an English colonist who settled in New England in the 17th century. He was among the early settlers of Scarborough, Maine, and his descendants played a role in the development of the region.
In the 18th century, Samuel Libby (1730-1803) was a notable figure in the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the Continental Army and participated in several battles, including the Battle of Saratoga.
During the 19th century, the surname Libby was associated with several notable individuals, such as Orin Grant Libby (1864-1952), an American businessman and politician who served as the 33rd Governor of Maine from 1917 to 1921.
Another prominent figure was Frederick J. Libby (1877-1964), an American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the National Cash Register Company and was actively involved in various charitable organizations and educational institutions.
The surname Libby has been prevalent in various parts of England, particularly in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Hampshire, where it is believed to have originated. Over time, the name spread to other regions, including Scotland and Ireland, as well as to North America through immigration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Libby
Among Census respondents with the surname Libby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Libby 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 Libby surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 9,105
- Two or more races3.4% · 337
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 265
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 85
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 64
- Black or African American0.6% · 61
Timeline
Historical Census data for Libby
Libby 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
#3,360
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,631
+256 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 3.60
Rank movement Down 186 places
2020
#3,505
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,917
-714 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 3.32
Rank movement Down 145 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,174 | 10,375 | 3.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,360 | 10,631 | 3.60 | +256 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 186 places |
| 2020 | #3,505 | 9,917 | 3.32 | -714 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 145 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 Libby 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 | #3,360 | #3,505 | -4.3% |
| Count | 10,631 | 9,917 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 3.60 | 3.32 | -7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Libby bearers went from 10,631 to 9,917 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 145 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,360 to #3,505.
FAQ
Libby surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Libby?
Name Census estimates that about 11,372 living Americans carry the surname Libby. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 30,140 residents.
How common is Libby?
Libby ranks #3,505 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.32 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,917 people with the surname Libby. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,372), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.32 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.32 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Libby.
Has Libby become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Libby went from 10,631 recorded bearers to 9,917. That is a decrease of 714 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,360 to #3,505.
What does the Census say about the background of Libby?
Among Census respondents with the surname Libby, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Libby in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (9,105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Libby appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Libby (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 Libby mean?
Derived from a shortened form of the given name Isabel, ultimately from the Hebrew name Elisheba, meaning "God is my oath." 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 Libby (3.32 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 many Americans have the surname Libby?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.