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

Light, 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 Light surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Light in America

Light is the 2164th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Light surname appeared 16,769 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Light.

We can also compare 2010 data for Light 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 Light

The surname Light originated in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "leoht," meaning "light" or "bright," which was likely used as a descriptive nickname for someone with fair hair or a bright complexion.

The earliest known record of the name Light appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1196, where a Walter Le Lyht is mentioned. This spelling variation, with the Old English "leoht" anglicized as "lyht," was common in early records.

In the 13th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England, such as the Curia Regis Rolls of Worcestershire in 1221, where a William Lyte is listed. The spelling "Lyte" was another early variation of the name.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Light was John Light, a merchant and alderman of London, who lived in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in the City of London records from 1368 to 1393.

Another early record of the surname Light is found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327, where a John Lyght is listed as a taxpayer. This record suggests that the Light family had established roots in Worcestershire by the early 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England, including the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1524, where a John Light is listed as a taxpayer in the village of Hoxne.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Light was Edward Light, an English artist and engraver who lived from 1747 to 1832. He was a member of the Royal Academy and is known for his engravings of works by famous painters such as Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough.

Another notable individual with the surname Light was Benjamin Light, an English astronomer and mathematician who lived from 1784 to 1839. He was the first director of the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford and made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.

In the 19th century, the surname Light is found in various records across England and other parts of the British Isles. One example is John Light, a Scottish minister and author who lived from 1785 to 1865 and wrote several works on theology and church history.

Overall, the surname Light has a long and well-documented history in England, with records dating back to the 12th century. While it originated as a descriptive nickname, it has become a recognized surname with many notable individuals bearing it throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Light

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

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

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

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