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

Lilac, 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 Lilac surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lilac in America

Lilac is the 150452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lilac surname appeared 109 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 Lilac.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lilac 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 Lilac

The surname LILAC is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English word "lilac" which referred to the flowering plant of the same name. This surname likely emerged as a descriptive name, given to individuals who lived near areas abundant with lilac bushes or perhaps those who cultivated or traded in the plant.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LILAC can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Shropshire from 1230, where a certain Thomas Lilac is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century in the West Midlands region of England.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in various legal documents and court records, such as the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire from 1346, which mentions a John Lilac. This provides evidence of the name's continued use and geographical spread across the neighboring counties.

During the Tudor period, the surname LILAC gained further prominence. In 1587, a Robert Lilac was recorded in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, indicating the name's presence in the county of Warwickshire.

One notable historical figure bearing the LILAC surname was Sir Henry Lilac (1548-1612), a successful merchant and alderman in the City of London. He was a prominent figure in the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1603.

Another individual of note was Elizabeth Lilac (1670-1745), a renowned botanist and horticulturist from Gloucestershire. She is credited with introducing several new species of lilacs to England and publishing a seminal work on the cultivation of these flowering plants.

The LILAC surname also found its way into literature, with the character of Mr. Lilac appearing in Charles Dickens' novel "The Old Curiosity Shop" published in 1841. This fictional character was a wealthy businessman and philanthropist, reflecting the author's familiarity with the surname and its associations.

In the late 19th century, a prominent figure with the LILAC surname was Sir William Lilac (1835-1902), a successful industrialist and philanthropist from Lancashire. He made significant contributions to the development of the textile industry in the region and was knighted for his philanthropic efforts.

While the surname LILAC may have evolved from its humble beginnings as a descriptive name, it has since become deeply woven into the tapestry of English history, with numerous individuals bearing this distinctive surname leaving their mark across various fields and endeavors.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lilac

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

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

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

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