2000
#13,483
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,069
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.77
Rare Last name
Likens
Derived from the Old English personal name Leofwin, meaning "dear friend," or from a place name meaning "linking path."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,316 Americans carry the last name Likens. That puts it at #14,265 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 147,994 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Likens surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.3K
1 in 147,994
Census rank
#14,265
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,020 bearers of the surname Likens in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14265th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Likens, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Likens
Among Census respondents with the surname Likens, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Likens bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Likens surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 1,854
- Two or more races4.7% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 42
- Black or African American0.7% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Likens
Likens appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,242
+173 bearers (+8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 48 places
2020
#14,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,020
-222 bearers (-9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.68
Rank movement Down 734 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,483 | 2,069 | 0.77 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,531 | 2,242 | 0.76 | +173 bearers (+8.4%) | Down 48 places |
| 2020 | #14,265 | 2,020 | 0.68 | -222 bearers (-9.9%) | Down 734 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Likens surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,531 | #14,265 | -5.4% |
| Count | 2,242 | 2,020 | -9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.76 | 0.68 | -11.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Likens bearers went from 2,242 to 2,020 (-9.9% change). The surname moved down 734 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,531 to #14,265.
FAQ
Likens surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Likens?
Name Census estimates that about 2,316 living Americans carry the surname Likens. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 147,994 residents.
How common is Likens?
Likens ranks #14,265 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.68 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,020 people with the surname Likens. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,316), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.68 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.68 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Likens.
Has Likens become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Likens went from 2,242 recorded bearers to 2,020. That is a decrease of 222 (-9.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,531 to #14,265.
What does the Census say about the background of Likens?
Among Census respondents with the surname Likens, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.7%) and Hispanic (2.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Likens in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (1,854 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Likens appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Two or More Races (4.7%), Hispanic (2.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Likens (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Likens mean?
Derived from the Old English personal name Leofwin, meaning "dear friend," or from a place name meaning "linking path." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Likens (0.68 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Likens?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.