2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Lownsbery
Locational surname referring to someone from a place named Lownsbery.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Lownsbery. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lownsbery 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
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Lownsbery in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lownsbery, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lownsbery
The surname Lownsbery is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Cheshire, where it was likely derived from a place name or a descriptive term referring to a local landmark or geographical feature.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Lownsbery can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings and population conducted in 1086 under the reign of William the Conqueror. This ancient document provides valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that era.
The name Lownsbery may have evolved from Old English words such as "lound," meaning a small wood or grove, and "bury," referring to a fortified town or enclosure. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname may have lived near a wooded area or settlement with a similar name.
Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Lounsberry, Lounsbury, and Lownsbury, reflecting regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times. These variations often provide clues about the geographical origins and migration patterns of families bearing the name.
One notable individual associated with the Lownsbery surname was Sir John Lownsbery, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Cheshire during the 15th century. He was known for his active participation in local governance and his contributions to the community.
Another historical figure bearing this surname was William Lownsbery, a merchant and trader who lived in London during the late 16th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the flourishing textile trade between England and the Netherlands, reflecting the economic ties and cultural exchange of that period.
In the 17th century, the Lownsbery family had established a presence in the town of Nantwich, Cheshire. Thomas Lownsbery, born in 1638, was a respected burgess (a freeman of a borough) and played a role in the local salt trade, which was a vital industry in the region at that time.
During the 18th century, the Lownsbery name appeared in various parish records and court documents across different parts of England, indicating the family's continued presence and influence in various communities.
One notable individual from this era was Robert Lownsbery, born in 1712 in Oxfordshire. He was a respected scholar and clergyman who served as the rector of several parishes and authored several theological works that were widely read during his lifetime.
As the centuries progressed, members of the Lownsbery family dispersed across various regions of England, and some even emigrated to other parts of the world, carrying their surname with them and contributing to its global spread and diversity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lownsbery
Among Census respondents with the surname Lownsbery, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Lownsbery 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 Lownsbery surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino7.3% · 8
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lownsbery
Lownsbery 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
#142,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-8 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,708 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-7 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,338 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #142,108 | 117 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 15,708 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 7,338 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 Lownsbery 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 | #142,108 | #149,446 | -5.2% |
| Count | 117 | 110 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lownsbery bearers went from 117 to 110 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 7,338 positions in the national ranking, going from #142,108 to #149,446.
FAQ
Lownsbery surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lownsbery?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Lownsbery. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Lownsbery?
Lownsbery ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Lownsbery. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Lownsbery.
Has Lownsbery become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lownsbery went from 117 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #142,108 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Lownsbery?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lownsbery, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Lownsbery in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lownsbery appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Hispanic (7.3%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Lownsbery (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 Lownsbery mean?
Locational surname referring to someone from a place named Lownsbery. 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 Lownsbery (0.04 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 common is the surname Lownsbery?
Want to know how many people have the surname Lownsbery? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.