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

Living, 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 Living surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Living in America

Living is the 69996th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Living surname appeared 280 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 Living.

We can also compare 2010 data for Living 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 Living

The surname LIVING originated in England, with records dating back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the Old English word "lifian," meaning "to live" or "to dwell." The name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived in a particular location or was a resident of a certain area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LIVING can be found in the parish records of Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, in 1598, where a John Living was mentioned. There are also records of the name in Gloucestershire and Shropshire from the early 17th century.

The surname LIVING may have been influenced by the Old English place name "Lyfing," which referred to a settlement or dwelling place. Some early variations of the spelling include Lyvyng, Lyvinge, and Liveing.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a record of landholdings and property ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are no direct mentions of the surname LIVING. However, the book does contain entries for place names that may have influenced the development of the surname, such as Livenemere (now Livermere) in Suffolk.

Notable historical figures with the surname LIVING include:

1. Sir Robert Living (1603-1671), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1654.
2. Edward Living (1762-1835), an English architect and surveyor who designed several churches and other buildings in London and the surrounding areas.
3. Mary Living (1794-1868), an English writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and educational reform.
4. James Living (1836-1912), a Scottish botanist and explorer who conducted extensive research on the flora of South America and the Caribbean.
5. William Living (1872-1945), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Living Foundation, which supported various educational and cultural initiatives.

While the surname LIVING may not be as common as some other English surnames, it has a rich history and can be traced back to the early modern period, with connections to various regions of England and notable individuals who contributed to various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Living

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

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

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

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