2000
#7,596
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,037
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.50
Rare Last name
Look
A surname derived from the Middle English word "loke," referring to someone who lived near an enclosure or lock.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,715 Americans carry the last name Look. That puts it at #12,500 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Look surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Look with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 126,245
Census rank
#12,500
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,368 bearers of the surname Look in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12500th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Look, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (18.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Look
The surname LOOK is believed to have originated in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "lōc," which meant "enclosure" or "meadow." This suggests that the name may have been used to identify someone who lived near a meadow or enclosed area.
The earliest known record of the LOOK surname appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled "Lok." This document lists landowners and tenants in the area, indicating that the name was associated with landed gentry or freeholders at the time.
In the 14th century, the LOOK surname can be found in various court records and legal documents, such as the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it is spelled "Loke." These records provide insights into the lives and activities of individuals bearing the name during this period.
One notable bearer of the LOOK surname was John Loke, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in Norfolk in the late 15th century. Records indicate that he owned substantial properties and was involved in trade and commerce.
Another prominent figure was Sir Thomas Lok (1515-1597), an English merchant and explorer who played a significant role in the early English voyages to the Americas. He financed several expeditions and wrote accounts of his travels, which provide valuable insights into the time period.
In the 17th century, the LOOK surname appears in parish records and other historical documents across various regions of England, indicating its widespread distribution. One example is William Looke (1620-1672), a clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.
The LOOK surname also has variations in spelling, such as Looke, Lok, Loke, and Locke. These variations likely arose due to regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions of the time.
Throughout history, the LOOK surname has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, landowners, clergymen, and explorers. While the name may have initially been associated with geographical features or occupations, it has since become a widespread surname with a rich history in England and beyond.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Look
Among Census respondents with the surname Look, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (18.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Look bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Look surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White72.6% · 1,718
- Asian and Pacific Islander18.5% · 438
- Two or more races4.6% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 65
- Black or African American1.3% · 30
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Look
Look appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,843
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,222
+185 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 1.43
Rank movement Down 247 places
2020
#12,500
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,368
-1,854 bearers (-43.9%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 4,657 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,596 | 4,037 | 1.50 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,843 | 4,222 | 1.43 | +185 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 247 places |
| 2020 | #12,500 | 2,368 | 0.79 | -1,854 bearers (-43.9%) | Down 4,657 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Look surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,843 | #12,500 | -59.4% |
| Count | 4,222 | 2,368 | -43.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.43 | 0.79 | -44.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Look bearers went from 4,222 to 2,368 (-43.9% change). The surname moved down 4,657 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,843 to #12,500.
FAQ
Look surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Look?
Name Census estimates that about 2,715 living Americans carry the surname Look. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,245 residents.
How common is Look?
Look ranks #12,500 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,368 people with the surname Look. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,715), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Look.
Has Look become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Look went from 4,222 recorded bearers to 2,368. That is a decrease of 1,854 (-43.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,843 to #12,500.
What does the Census say about the background of Look?
Among Census respondents with the surname Look, the largest self-reported group is White at 72.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (18.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Look in the 2020 Census, accounting for 72.6% (1,718 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Look appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (72.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (18.5%), Two or More Races (4.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Look (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Look mean?
A surname derived from the Middle English word "loke," referring to someone who lived near an enclosure or lock. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Look (0.79 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Look?
Want to know how many people have the surname Look? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.