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

Lick, 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 Lick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lick in America

Lick is the 24629th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lick surname appeared 1,014 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 Lick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lick 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 Lick

The surname LICK is of Anglo-Saxon origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period in England. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "licc," meaning "a stream or brook." This suggests that the name may have been originally borne by someone who lived near a small watercourse or stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lic" and "Licce." During this period, surnames were often derived from geographical features or locations, indicating that the bearers of this name likely resided in an area with a prominent stream or brook.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as "de la Licke" and "atte Licke," reflecting the Norman influence on English surnames at the time. These versions suggest that the bearers lived near a specific brook or stream, with the prepositions "de la" and "atte" indicating their proximity to the geographical feature.

As for notable historical figures bearing the surname LICK, one prominent example is Sir Ralph Lick (1550-1623), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1616. Another notable bearer of the name was John Lick (1672-1748), a British clergyman and author known for his works on theology and philosophy.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded instances of the LICK surname is that of James Lick (1796-1876), a philanthropist and land baron who made his fortune in the California Gold Rush. He is best remembered for his significant contributions to scientific research and education, including the founding of the Lick Observatory and the Lick Trust, which funded various educational and scientific institutions.

Another notable American bearing the LICK surname was Wilbur Fisk Lick (1837-1909), a lawyer and politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania in the late 19th century.

In the realm of literature, the surname LICK is associated with the British author and playwright, Graham Lick (1906-1986), who was known for his novels and plays exploring themes of social commentary and human relationships.

While the LICK surname may have originated from a humble geographical reference, it has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields throughout history, from politics and literature to philanthropy and science.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lick

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!