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

Liberal, 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 Liberal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Liberal in America

Liberal is the 105079th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Liberal surname appeared 170 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 Liberal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Liberal 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 Liberal

The surname LIBERAL originated in France during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Late Latin word "liberalis," meaning "free" or "noble." This name was likely given to someone who was of free status or belonged to the nobility.

LIBERAL was first recorded in the 12th century in the region of Normandy, France. It was also found in various records and manuscripts from that time period, such as the Domesday Book, which was a survey of landowners in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname LIBERAL was Raoul LIBERAL, a French nobleman who lived in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Jean LIBERAL, a French scholar and philosopher who lived in the 14th century and wrote extensively on the concept of human freedom.

In the 15th century, the surname LIBERAL appeared in England, possibly brought over by Norman settlers after the Norman Conquest of 1066. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in England was that of William LIBERAL, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1379.

During the Renaissance period, the surname LIBERAL became associated with the ideals of humanism and the promotion of liberal arts education. One prominent individual with this name was Desiderius LIBERAL (1466-1536), a Dutch scholar and humanist who played a significant role in the Northern Renaissance.

In the 17th century, the LIBERAL surname was found in various parts of Europe, including France, England, and the Netherlands. One notable figure from this time was Pierre LIBERAL (1594-1670), a French philosopher and writer who advocated for religious tolerance and freedom of thought.

Another famous individual with the LIBERAL surname was John LIBERAL (1632-1704), an English philosopher and physician who made significant contributions to the Enlightenment movement. He was known for his advocacy of empiricism and his criticism of the traditional teachings of the Church.

As time progressed, the surname LIBERAL continued to be associated with the values of liberty, freedom, and progressive ideals. It has been borne by individuals from various backgrounds and professions, including politicians, writers, and artists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Liberal

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

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

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

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