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

Lightle, 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 Lightle surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lightle in America

Lightle is the 19581st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lightle surname appeared 1,378 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 Lightle.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lightle 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 Lightle

The surname Lightle is believed to have originated in the German region of Bavaria during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old German word "liht," meaning "light" or "bright." The name may have initially been a descriptor for someone with fair hair or complexion, or it could have been a locational name referring to a place with a bright or well-lit location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lightle can be found in the Bairische Stammenbuch, a Bavarian genealogical record dating back to the 14th century. The name appears as "Lichtlin," which was likely an earlier spelling variation.

As the Lightle family spread throughout Germany and other parts of Europe, the name underwent various spelling changes, including Lichtl, Lichtlin, and Lichtlen. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or attempts to latinize the name.

In the 16th century, a notable individual named Hans Lichtlen (1525-1589) was a prominent theologian and reformer in Heidelberg, Germany. He played a role in shaping the Lutheran Church's doctrine during the Protestant Reformation.

Another early bearer of the name was Johann Lichtl (1610-1678), a German composer and organist who lived during the Baroque period. He served as the court organist in Munich and composed numerous sacred works.

As the Lightle family migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the name continued to evolve. In the United States, one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Jacob Lightle (1742-1822), who served as a soldier in the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, a notable figure named William Lightle (1821-1898) was a prominent businessman and landowner in Ohio. He was involved in various industries, including agriculture and mining.

Another individual of note was Mary Lightle (1858-1932), an American educator and suffragist. She fought for women's rights and played a role in establishing educational opportunities for women in the state of Pennsylvania.

Throughout its history, the surname Lightle has maintained its connection to its German roots, with many bearers of the name tracing their ancestry back to Bavaria and neighboring regions. While the name has undergone various spelling changes over time, its essence as a descriptor of brightness or light has remained intact.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lightle

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

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

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

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