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

Livingstone, 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 Livingstone surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Livingstone in America

Livingstone is the 12250th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Livingstone surname appeared 2,539 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 Livingstone.

We can also compare 2010 data for Livingstone 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 Livingstone

The surname Livingstone is of Scottish origin, derived from the ancient lands of Livingston near Linlithgow, West Lothian. The name is believed to have originated in the 12th century, with the earliest recorded spelling being "de Lynlythcu" in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.

The name Livingstone is thought to be derived from the Old English words "lēaf" meaning "leaf" and "tūn" meaning "settlement" or "farmstead". This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have lived in a settlement surrounded by leafy trees or woodlands.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Livingstone appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it is recorded as "Levingestune". This entry refers to a place in Somerset, England, which may have been named after an early bearer of the surname.

In the 13th century, Sir Alexander de Livingston was granted lands in West Lothian, Scotland, by King Alexander III. Sir Alexander's descendants continued to hold these lands for several centuries, and the name Livingstone became firmly established in the region.

Notable historical figures with the surname Livingstone include:

1. David Livingstone (1813-1873), a Scottish missionary and explorer famous for his exploration of central Africa and his search for the source of the Nile.

2. Robert Livingston (1654-1728), an American politician and landowner who was the first Lord of Livingston Manor in New York.

3. William Livingston (1723-1790), an American patriot and politician who served as the first Governor of New Jersey.

4. Richard Livingstone (1880-1960), an English classical scholar and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford.

5. Alicia Livingstone (born 1988), a New Zealand actress known for her roles in television series such as "Spartacus" and "Top of the Lake".

The name Livingstone has also been associated with various place names throughout history, including Livingston in West Lothian, Scotland, and Livingston Manor in New York, USA.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Livingstone

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

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

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

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