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

Lige, 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 Lige surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lige in America

Lige is the 52037th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lige surname appeared 399 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 Lige.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lige 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 Lige

The surname Lige has its origins in the Low German language, spoken in parts of northern Germany and the Netherlands during the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old Saxon word "lik," meaning "body" or "physical form." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname, perhaps referring to a person's stature or physical appearance.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century in the region of Westphalia, which was part of the historic Duchy of Saxony. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johann Lige, a merchant from the city of Münster, who is mentioned in local records from around 1280.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings, such as "Lighe," "Lyghe," and "Lyge," in records from the towns of Osnabrück and Bielefeld. This variation in spelling was common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

During the 15th century, the name gained prominence in the city of Bremen, where a family of merchants and traders bearing the name Lige played a significant role in the city's economic and political affairs. One notable member of this family was Hinrich Lige (c. 1420-1498), who served as a member of the city council and was involved in several trade negotiations with other Hanseatic cities.

As the name spread across the region, it also appeared in different forms, reflecting local dialects and variations in pronunciation. For example, in the Netherlands, the name was sometimes spelled as "Liege" or "Lijge," while in some parts of northern Germany, it took the form of "Liege" or "Lieger."

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Lige. One such figure was the German writer and philosopher Johann Friedrich Lige (1678-1744), who was known for his works on ethics and moral philosophy. Another was the Dutch painter Jan Lige (1609-1672), whose landscapes and genre scenes were highly regarded during the Dutch Golden Age.

In more recent times, the name has also been associated with individuals in various fields, such as the German physicist Hermann Lige (1885-1962), who made significant contributions to the study of atomic structure, and the American artist and sculptor Richard Lige (1928-2011), whose works are housed in several prestigious museums and galleries.

While the surname Lige may have originated as a descriptive nickname, it has evolved over the centuries to become a distinct and recognized surname, with its roots firmly planted in the cultural and linguistic heritage of northern Germany and the Netherlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lige

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

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

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

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