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

Lunceford, 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 Lunceford surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lunceford in America

Lunceford is the 13480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lunceford surname appeared 2,255 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 Lunceford.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lunceford 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 Lunceford

The surname Lunceford is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "lund" and "ford," with "lund" referring to a small hill or grove, and "ford" meaning a shallow crossing point over a river or stream. Thus, the name likely originated as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a hillock by a ford.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lunceford name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lundesford." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century and may have been borne by individuals residing in areas with similar topographical features.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as "Lundesford," "Lundisford," and "Lundisforth." These variations reflect the fluid nature of English orthography during that period and the regional dialects that influenced the pronunciation and spelling of names.

Notable individuals bearing the Lunceford surname include:

1. Jimmie Lunceford (1902-1947), an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader, known for his innovative arrangements and the distinctive "Lunceford Sound."
2. William Lunceford (c. 1585-1657), an English Puritan clergyman and religious writer, who served as the rector of Bassingbourne in Cambridgeshire.
3. Sir John Lunceford (c. 1350-1413), an English knight and landowner from Lincolnshire, who served as a Member of Parliament and fought in the Hundred Years' War.
4. Thomas Lunceford (fl. 1570-1590), an English playwright and author, best known for his work "The Siege of the Fort St. Philip in Britanny."
5. Mary Lunceford (c. 1685-1760), a colonial American landowner and businesswoman from Virginia, who inherited and managed significant land holdings and plantations.

While the Lunceford name has its origins in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, notably through migration and settlement patterns. Over time, the name has become associated with various localities and place names, reflecting the geographic dispersal of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lunceford

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

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

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

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