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

Lock, 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 Lock surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lock in America

Lock is the 5058th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lock surname appeared 6,936 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Lock.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lock 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 Lock

The surname LOCK is of English origin and can be traced back to the medieval times. It is derived from the Old English word "loc," which means "lock" or "enclosure." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a lock or enclosure, or perhaps worked as a locksmith or gatekeeper.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LOCK can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Loca." This historical document provides valuable insights into the distribution of surnames in England during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, the surname LOCK appeared in various court records and legal documents, such as the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire (1230) and the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire (1272). These records demonstrate the widespread usage of the name across different regions of England.

Over time, the surname underwent several spelling variations, including Lok, Lokke, and Locke. Some notable individuals with the surname LOCK throughout history include:

1. John Lock (c. 1554-1642), a pioneering English philosopher and physician who made significant contributions to the field of empiricism.

2. Matthew Lock (c. 1635-1677), an English composer known for his contributions to the development of English opera and theatrical music.

3. Anne Lock (1767-1854), a British botanist and plant illustrator who produced numerous detailed drawings of plants and flowers.

4. John Baskerville Lock (1805-1876), a British architect and engineer who designed several notable buildings in Birmingham, including the Birmingham Town Hall.

5. William Lock (1836-1913), a British sculptor and medallist who created numerous public monuments and sculptures, including the statue of Queen Victoria in Birmingham.

The surname LOCK has also been associated with various place names, such as Lockton in North Yorkshire, Lockington in Leicestershire, and Lockwood in West Yorkshire. These place names may have influenced the formation and distribution of the surname in different regions.

While the surname LOCK may have originated from a specific occupation or location, it has since become a widespread surname across various parts of the world, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lock

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

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

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

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