2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lilac
A surname derived from the name of the flower, indicating a possible place of origin or occupation.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Lilac. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lilac 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Lilac in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lilac, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lilac
Among Census respondents with the surname Lilac, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Lilac 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 Lilac surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0% · 92
- Two or more races8.4% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lilac
Lilac 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,605 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Down 6,605 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Lilac 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 | #150,452 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lilac bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Lilac surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lilac?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Lilac. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Lilac?
Lilac ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 107 people with the surname Lilac. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lilac.
Has Lilac become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lilac went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Lilac?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lilac, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.4%) and Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Lilac in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.0% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lilac appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.0%), Two or More Races (8.4%), Hispanic (2.8%). 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 Lilac (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 Lilac mean?
A surname derived from the name of the flower, indicating a possible place of origin or occupation. 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 Lilac (0.04 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 are called Lilac?
Find out how many people are called Lilac on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.