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

Liv, 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 Liv surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Liv in America

Liv is the 33596th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Liv surname appeared 678 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 Liv.

We can also compare 2010 data for Liv 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 Liv

The surname "LIV" is of Scandinavian origin, specifically from Norway and Sweden. It is believed to be derived from the Old Norse word "litr" or "lita," meaning color or dye. This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname given to someone who worked with dyes or colors, such as a dyer or painter.

The earliest known records of the surname "LIV" can be traced back to the 13th century in Norway. In Sweden, the name is also found in historical records from the same period, often spelled as "Liuf" or "Liuff." These variations in spelling were common in the Middle Ages due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname "LIV" was Olaf Liuff, a Norwegian landowner who lived in the late 13th century. His name appears in several land records from the region around Trondheim, indicating that the surname was already established in Norwegian society at that time.

Another notable bearer of the surname "LIV" was Inge Liuff, a Swedish merchant who lived in the 15th century. He is mentioned in historical records related to trade activities between Sweden and the Hanseatic League, a powerful commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Central and Northern Europe.

In the 16th century, a Norwegian farmer named Bjørn Liv is recorded as owning land in the Hallingdal valley, a region known for its rich agricultural traditions. This suggests that the surname had become associated with rural communities and farming by that time.

During the 17th century, the name "LIV" appeared in various Scandinavian sources, including church records and legal documents. One notable example is Maren Liv, a Norwegian woman born in 1642, who was involved in a legal dispute over inheritance rights, as documented in court records from the city of Bergen.

In the 19th century, the Swedish author and playwright Carl Livijn (1808-1873) gained fame for his satirical works and contributions to the Swedish literary scene. His surname, while slightly modified, is believed to be derived from the same Old Norse root as "LIV."

Throughout its history, the surname "LIV" has maintained its presence in Scandinavian countries, particularly in Norway and Sweden. While its origins can be traced back to occupational associations with dyes and colors, the name has also been associated with rural communities, trade activities, and literary figures over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Liv

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

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

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

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