2000
#5,394
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,940
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.20
Rare Last name
Luck
An English surname derived from a nickname for a person considered fortunate or having good luck.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,648 Americans carry the last name Luck. That puts it at #5,763 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.94 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 51,558 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Luck 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 Luck with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.6K
1 in 51,558
Census rank
#5,763
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,797 bearers of the surname Luck in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.94 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5763rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Luck, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.0%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Luck
The surname Luck originated in England and can be traced back to the early 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "luc," meaning "good fortune" or "lucky." This suggests that the name may have been initially given as a nickname to someone who was considered particularly fortunate or prosperous.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Luck appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275, which mentions a John Luck. The surname is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279, which lists a William Luk.
During the Middle Ages, the name Luck was primarily concentrated in the counties of Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, and Gloucestershire. It is believed that the name may have originated in the village of Luckington, located in Wiltshire, which was formerly known as "Luckintone" in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Variations in the spelling of the name were common in medieval times, with records showing forms such as Luk, Lukke, and Lucke. This was likely due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions and the influence of local dialects.
One notable bearer of the surname Luck was Sir John Luck, a prominent English politician and military leader during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. He served as the Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1471 and played a significant role in the Battle of Tewkesbury in 1471, where he fought for the Yorkist cause.
Another historical figure with the surname Luck was Thomas Luck (c. 1512-1582), an English Protestant reformer and clergyman. He served as the Archdeacon of Worcester and was known for his efforts in promoting the Reformation in the region.
In the 16th century, the surname Luck was also found in the records of the Stratford-upon-Avon area, where it is believed to have been associated with a family of yeomen farmers. One such individual was William Luck (c. 1540-1610), a landowner and notable figure in the local community.
During the 17th century, the Luck surname spread to other parts of England, including London and the surrounding counties. One notable bearer of the name from this period was John Luck (c. 1630-1695), a successful merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers in London.
Another prominent figure was Sir Samuel Luck (1677-1741), a wealthy landowner and Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire. He was known for his involvement in local politics and his support for the Whig party.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Luck
Among Census respondents with the surname Luck, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.0%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Luck 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 Luck surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.3% · 4,715
- Black or African American9.0% · 523
- Two or more races3.7% · 217
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 164
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 158
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 20
Timeline
Historical Census data for Luck
Luck 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
#5,765
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,008
+68 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 2.04
Rank movement Down 371 places
2020
#5,763
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,797
-211 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 1.94
Rank movement Up 2 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,394 | 5,940 | 2.20 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,765 | 6,008 | 2.04 | +68 bearers (+1.1%) | Down 371 places |
| 2020 | #5,763 | 5,797 | 1.94 | -211 bearers (-3.5%) | Up 2 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 Luck 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 | #5,765 | #5,763 | 0.0% |
| Count | 6,008 | 5,797 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.04 | 1.94 | -4.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Luck bearers went from 6,008 to 5,797 (-3.5% change). The surname moved up 2 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,765 to #5,763.
FAQ
Luck surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Luck?
Name Census estimates that about 6,648 living Americans carry the surname Luck. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 51,558 residents.
How common is Luck?
Luck ranks #5,763 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.94 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,797 people with the surname Luck. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,648), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.94 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.94 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Luck.
Has Luck become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Luck went from 6,008 recorded bearers to 5,797. That is a decrease of 211 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #5,765 to #5,763.
What does the Census say about the background of Luck?
Among Census respondents with the surname Luck, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.3%. The next largest groups are Black (9.0%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Luck in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.3% (4,715 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Luck appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.3%), Black (9.0%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Luck (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 Luck mean?
An English surname derived from a nickname for a person considered fortunate or having good luck. 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 Luck (1.94 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 Luck?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Luck at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.