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

Lieu, 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 Lieu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lieu in America

Lieu is the 9045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lieu surname appeared 3,612 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Lieu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lieu 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 Lieu

The surname LIEU is of French origin, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old French word "lieu," meaning "place" or "location." The name was likely given to someone who lived in a particular place or was associated with a specific location.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname LIEU can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various regions of France, such as Normandy, Brittany, and the Île-de-France. During this period, surnames were becoming more common as a way to distinguish individuals and families.

In the Domesday Book, a medieval census conducted in England in 1086, there are no direct references to the surname LIEU. However, the book does mention several place names that may have been the origins of the surname, such as Lieuvin in Normandy.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname LIEU was Jean de Lieu, a French nobleman who lived in the 14th century. He was recorded as owning land in the Champagne region of France.

Another notable figure with the surname LIEU was Pierre de Lieu, a French merchant and explorer who lived in the 15th century. He is known for his travels to West Africa and his accounts of the region.

In the 16th century, Nicolas de Lieu was a French Huguenot (Protestant) who fled religious persecution and settled in England. He is considered one of the earliest LIEU family members to emigrate from France.

During the 17th century, Jacques de Lieu was a French military officer who served under King Louis XIV. He is known for his participation in the Franco-Dutch War and the Nine Years' War.

In the 18th century, Marie-Anne de Lieu was a French novelist and playwright. She was born in 1737 and is known for her works exploring themes of love and courtship in French society.

Over time, the surname LIEU has evolved and taken on various spellings, such as Lieux, Lelieu, and Delieu. These variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or scribal errors in historical records.

While the surname LIEU has its origins in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, the earliest recorded examples and historical references remain rooted in the French heritage and language of the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lieu

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

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

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

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