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

Louw, 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 Louw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Louw in America

Louw is the 66553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Louw surname appeared 297 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Louw.

We can also compare 2010 data for Louw 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 Louw

The surname Louw originated in the Netherlands and Flanders region during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old Dutch word "louw," which means "little" or "small." This surname may have initially been a descriptive nickname for someone of short stature or a younger child.

One of the earliest records of the Louw surname can be found in the Holland region of the Netherlands in the 13th century. The name appears in various spellings, such as Louwe, Lauwe, and Lowe, reflecting regional variations and changes in language over time.

The Louw surname is also associated with several place names in the Netherlands, such as Louwsrecht and Louwsmeer. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the surname Louw who resided in or were associated with those locations.

In the 15th century, a prominent figure named Jan Louw (c. 1420-1489) was a Dutch politician and diplomat who served as the ambassador to England for the Duchy of Burgundy. He played a significant role in negotiating treaties between the two nations.

Another notable individual with the Louw surname was Adriaan Louw (1588-1661), a Dutch Golden Age painter known for his landscapes and genre scenes. His works are housed in various museums across Europe, including the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

During the 17th century, Nicolaes Louw (1618-1677) was a Dutch Golden Age artist renowned for his still-life paintings, particularly those depicting fruit and flowers. His works are highly regarded for their intricate detail and vibrant colors.

In the 18th century, Hendrik Louw (1717-1788) was a Dutch linguist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of the Afrikaans language. He is considered one of the founders of Afrikaans linguistics and played a crucial role in standardizing the language.

Another prominent figure with the Louw surname is Jozua Louw (1865-1950), a South African poet and writer who is regarded as one of the pioneers of Afrikaans literature. His works, such as "Raka" and "Sangrama," explored the lives and experiences of the Afrikaner people.

The Louw surname has a rich history spanning several centuries and has been associated with notable individuals in various fields, including politics, art, linguistics, and literature. Its origins can be traced back to the Netherlands and Flanders region, where it was likely used as a descriptive nickname before evolving into a hereditary surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Louw

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

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

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

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