2000
#114,852
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lidman
An English surname derived from a medieval word meaning "one who leads or guides".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 161 Americans carry the last name Lidman. That puts it at #127,742 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,128,909 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lidman 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.
Bearers in the US
161
1 in 2,128,909
Census rank
#127,742
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
140
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 140 bearers of the surname Lidman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 127742nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lidman, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lidman
The surname Lidman has its origins in Sweden, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Swedish word "lidh," meaning a gate or an entrance, and the suffix "-man," indicating a person associated with a particular place or occupation. Consequently, the name Lidman likely referred to someone who lived near a gate or was responsible for maintaining or guarding a gate.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Lidman surname can be found in the Swedish church records from the parish of Ekshärad in Värmland County, dated 1583. These records document the existence of a family with the surname Lidman in the region during that period.
In the 17th century, the Lidman name appeared in various parts of Sweden, particularly in the provinces of Värmland, Dalarna, and Västmanland. This suggests that the name had spread from its original location and was adopted by families in different regions.
Notable individuals with the Lidman surname include Anders Lidman (1752-1829), a Swedish poet and clergyman from Västmanland. His poetry collection, "Samlade Skrifter," published in 1819, gained him recognition and contributed to the cultural heritage of Sweden.
Another prominent figure was Carl Lidman (1855-1932), a Swedish politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the early 20th century. He played a significant role in shaping Sweden's legal and diplomatic policies during his tenure.
In the field of literature, Sven Lidman (1882-1960) was a renowned Swedish author and playwright. His works, such as the novel "Ofödd" (Unborn) and the play "Sista Ringen" (The Last Ring), explored themes of social issues and human relationships, earning him critical acclaim.
The Lidman surname can also be traced to the village of Lideman in the municipality of Ljusdal, Hälsingland County. This place name is believed to have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in that region, further contributing to its variations.
Throughout history, the Lidman surname has been associated with various professions, including clergy, politicians, authors, and academics, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who carried this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lidman
Among Census respondents with the surname Lidman, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Lidman 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 Lidman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.4% · 121
- Hispanic or Latino9.3% · 13
- Two or more races2.9% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lidman
Lidman 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
#122,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 141
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 7,462 places
2020
#127,742
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 140
-1 bearers (-0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 5,428 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #114,852 | 141 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #122,314 | 141 | 0.05 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 7,462 places |
| 2020 | #127,742 | 140 | 0.05 | -1 bearers (-0.7%) | Down 5,428 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 Lidman 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 | #122,314 | #127,742 | -4.4% |
| Count | 141 | 140 | -0.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lidman bearers went from 141 to 140 (-0.7% change). The surname moved down 5,428 positions in the national ranking, going from #122,314 to #127,742.
FAQ
Lidman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lidman?
Name Census estimates that about 161 living Americans carry the surname Lidman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,128,909 residents.
How common is Lidman?
Lidman ranks #127,742 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 140 people with the surname Lidman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (161), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lidman.
Has Lidman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lidman went from 141 recorded bearers to 140. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #122,314 to #127,742.
What does the Census say about the background of Lidman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lidman, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.3%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Lidman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.4% (121 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lidman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.4%), Hispanic (9.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Lidman (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 Lidman mean?
An English surname derived from a medieval word meaning "one who leads or guides". 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 Lidman (0.05 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 people are called Lidman?
You can see how common the surname Lidman is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.