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

Lumley, 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 Lumley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lumley in America

Lumley is the 10729th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lumley surname appeared 2,976 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 Lumley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lumley 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 Lumley

The surname Lumley originated in England, with records indicating its existence as far back as the 11th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English words "lum," meaning a small stream or brook, and "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing in a forest. The name likely originated as a place name, referring to a location where a small stream flowed through a meadow or clearing.

The earliest recorded mention of the Lumley surname can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. This suggests that individuals bearing the name were present in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, a notable member of the Lumley family was Ralph de Lumley, who was recorded as holding lands in Northumberland. Another early record is from 1273, when John de Lumley was listed as a landowner in Yorkshire.

The Lumleys were an influential family in the North of England, particularly in County Durham. One of the most prominent members was George Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley (c. 1535-1609), who served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions at the court of Queen Elizabeth I.

Another notable figure was Richard Lumley, 1st Earl of Scarbrough (1650-1721), who was a distinguished military leader and served as Governor of Hull. He was also a patron of the arts and supported the establishment of the Lumley Library, which contained a valuable collection of manuscripts and books.

In later centuries, the Lumley name continued to be associated with various noteworthy individuals. One example is Benjamin Lumley (1831-1887), an English impresario and theatre manager who was instrumental in promoting Italian opera in London during the Victorian era.

The surname Lumley has also been found in various spellings over the centuries, including Lumly, Lumbley, and Lumbly. Despite variations, the name has maintained its connection to its English origins and the historical significance of the Lumley family.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lumley

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

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

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

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