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

Lukens, 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 Lukens surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lukens in America

Lukens is the 10232nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lukens surname appeared 3,151 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Lukens.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lukens 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 Lukens

The surname LUKENS originated in England, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "loken," which means "enclosed or locked place." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have resided in an enclosed area or lived near a locked or gated location.

The earliest recorded instance of the LUKENS surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, an early tax record from 1166. The name appears as "Luken," indicating its transition from a descriptive term to a hereditary surname during the Middle Ages.

In the late 13th century, the LUKENS surname appeared in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, a census-like record from 1273. This document lists a John Lukene, providing evidence of the surname's spread across different regions of England.

During the 14th century, the LUKENS surname gained prominence in the county of Buckinghamshire. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1334 record a Robert Lukene residing in the village of Twyford, suggesting the family's connection to this area.

One notable bearer of the LUKENS surname was Sir Thomas Lukens (1484-1555), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire during the reign of Henry VIII. His family's estate was situated in the village of Wooburn, where the Lukens family had established roots for several generations.

Another historical figure was John Lukens (1646-1719), an English Quaker who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1683. He played a significant role in the early settlement and development of the colony, serving as a surveyor and mapmaker for William Penn.

In the 18th century, Benjamin Lukens (1716-1794) was a notable American surveyor and cartographer. He produced some of the earliest maps of Pennsylvania and contributed to the development of the state's early infrastructure.

The LUKENS surname also has connections to the American Revolutionary War. John Lukens (1753-1835), a Philadelphia-based surveyor and engraver, produced maps and illustrations that were instrumental in the war effort.

Throughout history, variations of the LUKENS surname have included Loken, Lokene, Luken, and Lukyn, reflecting the evolution of spelling and pronunciation over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lukens

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

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

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

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