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

Lightning, 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 Lightning surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lightning in America

Lightning is the 88685th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lightning surname appeared 209 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 Lightning.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lightning 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 Lightning

The surname Lightning is an English name that dates back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the rural areas of northern England, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lightning," which referred to a bright flash of light caused by an electrical discharge in the atmosphere.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lightning appears in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Ecclesfield, Yorkshire, where a man named John Lightning was baptized in 1587. Another early example can be found in the manor court rolls of Wakefield, Yorkshire, which mention a Thomas Lightning in 1602.

In the 17th century, the name Lightning began to spread beyond its northern English roots. In 1635, a man named William Lightning was recorded in the parish registers of St. Giles Cripplegate in London. This suggests that members of the Lightning family had migrated to the capital city during this period.

The name Lightning has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. In the late 18th century, a man named James Lightning (1742-1819) gained recognition as a skilled navigator and cartographer. He was commissioned by the British Admiralty to map the coastlines of North America and the Caribbean.

Another prominent figure with the surname Lightning was Margaret Lightning (1793-1871), a philanthropist and social reformer from Manchester, England. She was instrumental in establishing several charitable institutions and advocating for the rights of women and children.

During the 19th century, the name Lightning was also found in parts of Scotland and Ireland, likely due to migration patterns within the British Isles. One noteworthy individual from this period was Robert Lightning (1822-1895), a Scottish architect who designed several prominent buildings in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

In the realm of literature, the surname Lightning has been borne by several authors, including William Lightning (1854-1912), an English novelist and poet known for his works exploring rural life in the Yorkshire Dales.

The name Lightning has also been present in the United States since the 18th century, when British settlers brought it to the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John Lightning (1732-1810), a farmer and militia member who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lightning

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

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

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

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