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

Lichtenberg, 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 Lichtenberg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lichtenberg in America

Lichtenberg is the 19782nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lichtenberg surname appeared 1,360 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 Lichtenberg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lichtenberg 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 Lichtenberg

The surname Lichtenberg is of German origin, derived from the Old German words "licht" meaning "light" and "berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill." It likely originated in the medieval period as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near a bright or illuminated hill or mountain.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, such as Bavaria and Saxony. One notable early bearer of the name was Heinrich Lichtenberg, a German knight and landholder who lived in the late 13th century.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Lichtenberg name appeared in various town and village records throughout central and southern Germany. It was also associated with several noble families, including the Lords of Lichtenberg, who ruled over territories in modern-day Alsace, France, and the Palatinate region of Germany.

A prominent figure bearing the Lichtenberg name was Georg Christoph Lichtenberg (1742-1799), a German scientist, philosopher, and satirist who made significant contributions to the fields of physics and aphorism writing. He is best known for his pioneering work on electrostatic phenomena and his witty observations on human nature.

Another notable individual was Johann Lichtenberg (1599-1667), a German Lutheran theologian and poet who served as the rector of the University of Jena. His works included religious poetry and commentaries on biblical texts.

In the 18th century, the Lichtenberg name gained further recognition with the birth of Gottfried Wilhelm Lichtenberg (1742-1799), a German physicist and philosopher who made important discoveries in the field of electricity. He is particularly famous for his experiments with the Lichtenberg figures, which are intricate patterns formed by electrical discharges on insulating surfaces.

The name Lichtenberg has also been associated with several places in Germany, such as the town of Lichtenberg in Saxony and the Lichtenberg district of Berlin. These place names likely derived from the same topographic roots as the surname, further reinforcing its connection to the German language and geography.

Throughout history, the Lichtenberg surname has been carried by numerous individuals across various professions, including academics, scientists, artists, and military figures. While its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, the name continues to be prevalent in modern times, particularly in German-speaking regions and among those of German ancestry.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lichtenberg

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

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

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

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