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

London, 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 London surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of London in America

London is the 2249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The London surname appeared 16,195 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname London.

We can also compare 2010 data for London 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 London

The surname London originated in England during the medieval period, deriving from the name of the capital city of London. This locational surname likely referred to someone who resided in or came from the city of London.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname London can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mentions a Roger de London. The Hundred Rolls were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I.

The name London is believed to have evolved from the Latin name Londinium, which was the Roman name for the settlement that later became the city of London. Londinium itself is thought to have derived from an ancient Celtic word meaning "wild" or "uncleared" land.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror, several individuals with the surname London are recorded, including Ailric London, who was a landowner in Norfolk.

Notable individuals with the surname London throughout history include:

1. Ralph London (fl. 1350s), an English Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire.
2. John London (c. 1365-1428), an English monk and chronicler who served as the Prior of Christ Church, Canterbury.
3. Benjamin London (1692-1784), an American surveyor and explorer who helped map the Allegheny Mountains and the Ohio Valley.
4. William London (1718-1809), an English watchmaker and inventor of the first successful compound microscope.
5. Jack London (1876-1916), the renowned American novelist and short story writer best known for works such as "The Call of the Wild" and "White Fang."

The surname London has also been associated with various place names in England, such as London Bridge, London Road, and London Fields, which further reinforces its connection to the city of London.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name London

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

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

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

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