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

Likens, 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 Likens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Likens in America

Likens is the 13531st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Likens surname appeared 2,242 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Likens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Likens 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 Likens

The surname Likens is an English name with origins dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lykyn," which means "to please" or "to delight." The name likely originated in the county of Yorkshire, where it was first recorded in various forms such as Likyn, Lykyn, and Lyken.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Yorkshire, a census-like record compiled in 1273. The document mentions a person named Johannes Lyken, suggesting that the name was already in use during that time period.

The Likens surname is also associated with several place names in England, particularly in Yorkshire. For example, there is a village called Lyken in the East Riding of Yorkshire, which may have influenced the surname's spelling and distribution.

In the 14th century, the Likens name appeared in various historical records, including the Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379. This document lists several individuals with the surname, such as Robertus Lyken and Johanna Lyken.

One notable figure in history who bore the Likens surname was Robert Likens, a merchant and trader who lived in the city of York in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the wool trade and had business dealings with merchants from other parts of England and Europe.

Another historical figure was John Likens, a soldier who fought in the English Civil War during the 17th century. He served in the Parliamentarian army under Oliver Cromwell and participated in several significant battles, including the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644.

In the 18th century, a prominent individual named William Likens made a name for himself as a renowned architect. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in and around London, including several churches and manor houses.

During the 19th century, the Likens surname gained further recognition with the birth of Reverend James Likens, a respected clergyman and author. He was born in 1822 and wrote several theological works that were widely read and influential in his time.

Another notable bearer of the Likens name was Mary Likens, a pioneering educator who lived in the late 19th century. She established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Manchester and was a strong advocate for women's education during a time when it was not widely accepted.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Likens

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

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

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

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