2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Lingis
A surname derived from the Lithuanian word 'lingis' meaning 'crane' or 'stork'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Lingis. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lingis 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Lingis in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lingis, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lingis
The surname LINGIS has its origins in Lithuania, tracing back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Lithuanian word "lingis," meaning a bend or curve, potentially referring to a geographical feature or a descriptive trait of an individual.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the LINGIS surname can be found in the 17th-century parish records of the town of Kaunas, where several families bearing this name were documented. It is likely that the name originated in this region or nearby areas of central Lithuania.
In the 18th century, the LINGIS name appeared in various land registers and legal documents, suggesting that some members of this family held property or positions of authority within their local communities. One notable individual from this period was Jonas LINGIS (1712-1788), a landowner and merchant whose business dealings extended across the Baltic region.
As the 19th century dawned, the LINGIS family continued to establish itself in various parts of Lithuania. In 1832, a record exists of a Petras LINGIS (1798-1872) who served as a local magistrate in the town of Marijampole. His son, Antanas LINGIS (1825-1901), was a respected scholar and educator who authored several works on Lithuanian history and culture.
Moving into the 20th century, the LINGIS surname gained international recognition through the accomplishments of the philosopher Emanuel LINGIS (1925-2022). Born in Lithuania, he emigrated to the United States and became a prominent figure in the field of phenomenology, publishing numerous influential works and teaching at several prestigious universities.
Another notable figure was the artist Vytautas LINGIS (1932-1997), whose abstract expressionist paintings and sculptures garnered critical acclaim both in his native Lithuania and abroad. His works are held in various museum collections and have been exhibited internationally.
While the LINGIS surname has its roots in Lithuania, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by individuals and families who have emigrated or established new lineages over the centuries. Nevertheless, the name remains a proud representation of its Lithuanian heritage and the diverse contributions of those who have borne it throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lingis
Among Census respondents with the surname Lingis, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Lingis 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 Lingis surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 93
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.9% · 4
- Two or more races3.9% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lingis
Lingis appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,677 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 3,677 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 Lingis 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 | #158,432 | #154,755 | 2.3% |
| Count | 102 | 102 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lingis bearers went from 102 to 102 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 3,677 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #154,755.
FAQ
Lingis surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lingis?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Lingis. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Lingis?
Lingis ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Lingis. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Lingis.
Has Lingis become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lingis went from 102 recorded bearers to 102. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Lingis?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lingis, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.9%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Lingis in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lingis appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.9%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Lingis (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 Lingis mean?
A surname derived from the Lithuanian word 'lingis' meaning 'crane' or 'stork'. 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 Lingis (0.03 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 Lingis?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.