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

Ligon, 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 Ligon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ligon in America

Ligon is the 5654th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ligon surname appeared 6,140 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Ligon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ligon 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 Ligon

The surname Ligon is believed to have originated in France, with its earliest recorded instances dating back to the 11th century. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "lignon," meaning a small branch or twig. This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive nickname for someone who lived near a wooded area or worked with wood.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Ligon name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry lists a Radulfus de Lignon as a landowner in Oxfordshire.

In the 13th century, there are records of a knight named Sir Robert de Ligon who fought in the Crusades and later settled in Normandy, France. His descendants are believed to have adopted the surname Ligon.

During the Middle Ages, variations of the name included Lignon, Lignoun, and Linioun, reflecting the regional dialects and spelling conventions of the time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the Ligon name was Sir William Ligon (1512-1587), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another prominent individual was John Ligon (1615-1672), an English merchant and author who wrote a book titled "A True and Exact History of the Island of Barbados," which provided valuable insights into the early colonial settlement of the Caribbean.

In the 18th century, Richard Ligon (1730-1809) was a wealthy plantation owner and slaveholder in Virginia, United States. His descendants played a significant role in the economic and political development of the region.

Jumping forward to the 19th century, Mary Ligon (1823-1901) was a notable American educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded several schools and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women.

Throughout history, the Ligon surname has been connected to various locations, including Oxfordshire and Normandy in England and France, respectively, as well as Virginia and other parts of the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ligon

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

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

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

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