2000
#48,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 407
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Lookabaugh
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a meadow or grove.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 453 Americans carry the last name Lookabaugh. That puts it at #55,981 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 756,632 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lookabaugh 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.
Bearers in the US
453
1 in 756,632
Census rank
#55,981
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
395
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 395 bearers of the surname Lookabaugh in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 55981st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lookabaugh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lookabaugh
The surname Lookabaugh is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known spelling being "Laukabuch" or "Laukenbuch". These variations suggest a connection to a place name, potentially derived from the Germanic words "lauk" (meaning "leek" or "onion") and "buch" (meaning "beech tree").
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various records across the German states, indicating its spread and usage during that period. One of the earliest documented instances is that of Hans Laukenbuch, a landowner in the region of Saxony, mentioned in a land registry from 1372.
As families migrated across Europe, the name underwent further alterations in spelling and pronunciation. In the 16th century, variations like "Luckenbough" and "Luckenbaw" emerged in the Netherlands and neighboring regions, reflecting the influence of local dialects.
The first known record of the Anglicized spelling "Lookabaugh" dates back to the late 17th century when Johann Lookabaugh, a German immigrant, settled in Pennsylvania, United States. This variant became more common among descendants of German and Dutch settlers in North America.
Notable individuals with the surname Lookabaugh include:
1. Peter Lookabaugh (1736-1819), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in several major battles.
2. Elizabeth Lookabaugh (1812-1890), a prominent abolitionist and women's rights advocate in Ohio.
3. Jeremiah Lookabaugh (1854-1932), a successful businessman and philanthropist from Illinois, known for his contributions to educational institutions.
4. William Lookabaugh (1892-1967), a renowned architect responsible for designing several iconic buildings in New York City.
5. Alice Lookabaugh (1921-2005), a celebrated author and poet whose works explored themes of nature and rural life.
While the Lookabaugh surname may have originated from a specific location or region, its journey through centuries and across continents has contributed to its diverse spellings and adaptations, reflecting the rich tapestry of cultural influences that have shaped its history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lookabaugh
Among Census respondents with the surname Lookabaugh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Lookabaugh 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 Lookabaugh surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 371
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 6
- Two or more races1.5% · 6
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lookabaugh
Lookabaugh 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
#50,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 412
+5 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Down 1,994 places
2020
#55,981
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 395
-17 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 5,322 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #48,665 | 407 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #50,659 | 412 | 0.14 | +5 bearers (+1.2%) | Down 1,994 places |
| 2020 | #55,981 | 395 | 0.13 | -17 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 5,322 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 Lookabaugh 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 | #50,659 | #55,981 | -10.5% |
| Count | 412 | 395 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.13 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lookabaugh bearers went from 412 to 395 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 5,322 positions in the national ranking, going from #50,659 to #55,981.
FAQ
Lookabaugh surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lookabaugh?
Name Census estimates that about 453 living Americans carry the surname Lookabaugh. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 756,632 residents.
How common is Lookabaugh?
Lookabaugh ranks #55,981 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 395 people with the surname Lookabaugh. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (453), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lookabaugh.
Has Lookabaugh become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lookabaugh went from 412 recorded bearers to 395. That is a decrease of 17 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #50,659 to #55,981.
What does the Census say about the background of Lookabaugh?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lookabaugh, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%). 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 Lookabaugh in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (371 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lookabaugh appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (2.8%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.5%). 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 Lookabaugh (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 Lookabaugh mean?
A topographic surname referring to someone living near a meadow or grove. 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 Lookabaugh (0.13 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 Lookabaugh?
If you just want to know how many Americans have the surname Lookabaugh, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.