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

Lish, 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 Lish surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lish in America

Lish is the 18502nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lish surname appeared 1,493 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 Lish.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lish 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 Lish

The surname Lish is believed to have originated in Germany, with early records dating back to the 16th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old German word "lisch," which means "reed" or "rush." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived near a body of water where reeds or rushes grew.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lish can be found in the parish records of the town of Aachen, Germany, where a certain Johann Lisch was mentioned in 1587. It is possible that this individual was a resident of a nearby area known for its reedy marshlands or riverbanks.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, as well as neighboring regions such as the Netherlands and Switzerland. The spelling variations "Lische" and "Lish" can be found in various historical records from this period.

A notable bearer of the name was Hans Lisch, a German artist and engraver who lived from 1594 to 1639. His works, which included etchings and woodcuts, were widely admired during his lifetime and are now considered important examples of early modern German art.

Another individual of note was Johann Lisch, a German historian and archaeologist who lived from 1801 to 1877. He made significant contributions to the study of the ancient Germanic tribes of northern Germany and was particularly interested in the investigation of burial mounds and other archaeological sites.

In the 19th century, the name Lish began to appear in records from the United States, likely as a result of German immigration. One early American bearer of the name was Jacob Lish, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1820 and later served in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Another notable figure was Mary Lisch, an American educator and suffragist who lived from 1859 to 1936. She was actively involved in the women's suffrage movement and worked tirelessly to promote educational opportunities for women and girls in her home state of Wisconsin.

Throughout its history, the surname Lish has maintained a strong presence in various parts of Germany, as well as in the United States and other countries with significant German immigrant populations. Despite its relatively modest origins, the name has been borne by individuals who have made important contributions in fields ranging from art and archaeology to education and social reform.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lish

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

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

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

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