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

Lighthiser, 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 Lighthiser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lighthiser in America

Lighthiser is the 130610th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lighthiser surname appeared 130 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 Lighthiser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lighthiser 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 Lighthiser

The surname Lighthiser has its origins in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "lichte," which means "light" or "bright," and the suffix "-iser," indicating a place of origin or occupation. This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone who lived near a brightly lit area or worked as a candlemaker or in a related profession.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town of Aschaffenburg, located in the present-day state of Bavaria, Germany. In a document dated 1578, a certain Hans Lighthiser is mentioned as a resident of the town, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lighthiser family spread across various regions of Germany, with some branches eventually migrating to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. Notable individuals bearing this surname include Johann Lighthiser (1623-1691), a prominent merchant in the city of Nuremberg, and Friedrich Lighthiser (1732-1801), a respected theologian and author from the town of Weimar.

In the 19th century, the name made its way to the United States, with several Lighthiser families settling in the Midwest and East Coast regions. One of the earliest arrivals was Wilhelm Lighthiser (1817-1892), who immigrated from Bavaria and established a successful farming operation in Ohio. His son, Henry Lighthiser (1847-1923), became a respected community leader and served as the mayor of a small town in the state.

Another notable figure was Elizabeth Lighthiser (1867-1948), a prominent educator and women's rights activist from Pennsylvania. She founded several schools and advocated for equal educational opportunities for women, earning her recognition and respect within the state's academic circles.

In more recent times, the Lighthiser name has been associated with several accomplished individuals, such as Robert Lighthiser (1928-2018), a renowned architect who designed numerous iconic buildings across the United States, and Michael Lighthiser (born 1957), a successful business executive and entrepreneur who founded multiple technology companies.

While the name Lighthiser is not among the most common surnames in the world, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from commerce and academia to architecture and entrepreneurship.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lighthiser

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

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

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

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