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

Lukes, 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 Lukes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lukes in America

Lukes is the 16509th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lukes surname appeared 1,740 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 Lukes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lukes 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 Lukes

The surname Lukes has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the Old English word "luc," meaning a small hill or mound. This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a small hill or a specific place with that geographic feature.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents, including the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions several individuals with variations of the name, such as Luc, Luca, and Lucas. These early spellings highlight the evolution of the surname over time.

One notable early bearer of the name was John Lukes, born in 1452 in Cheshire, England. He was a prominent landowner and served as a member of the local council. Another historical figure was Sir Robert Lukes, born in 1524 in Gloucestershire, who was a renowned military commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Lukes was often associated with certain place names, such as Lukeham in Shropshire and Lukesfield in Warwickshire. These place names likely influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname in different regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the spelling "Lukes" can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, where a marriage between William Lukes and Elizabeth Smith was recorded in 1612.

As the name spread across England, it also made its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the American colonies. In the late 18th century, James Lukes (1760-1834), a merchant from London, settled in Virginia and established a successful trading business.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lukes include:

1. Edward Lukes (1842-1918), an English painter and illustrator known for his intricate depictions of rural life.
2. Mary Lukes (1876-1952), a pioneering American educator and advocate for women's rights, who founded the Lukes Academy in Philadelphia.
3. Sir Henry Lukes (1885-1967), a British diplomat and ambassador to several countries, including France and the United States.
4. Katherine Lukes (1910-1998), an American author and historian, best known for her seminal work on the history of the Appalachian region.
5. Michael Lukes (born 1952), a renowned British architect and urban planner, who designed several iconic buildings in London and other major cities.

The surname Lukes has a rich history, with its roots firmly planted in the English landscape and evolving over centuries as it spread across the globe. Its enduring presence serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of the name and its bearers throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lukes

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

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

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

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