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

Lyda, 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 Lyda surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lyda in America

Lyda is the 14631st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lyda surname appeared 2,034 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 Lyda.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lyda 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 Lyda

The surname Lyda has its origins in the Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, where it first appeared in the early medieval period. It is derived from the Old Norse word "liþr," meaning "flexible" or "pliant." This word was likely used to describe someone with a supple or agile physique, possibly a skilled warrior or athlete.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lyda can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in various Norse sagas and chronicles. One notable mention is found in the Icelandic Sturlunga saga, which recounts the exploits of the Sturlung clan during the Sturlung Age of civil war in Iceland between 1220 and 1262.

As the Scandinavian population migrated and settled in various regions, the name Lyda spread across Europe. In England, the name appeared in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive record of landowners and properties commissioned by William the Conqueror. The earliest known bearer of the name in England was Leofric Lyda, a landowner in the county of Norfolk.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Lyda. In the 14th century, Sigurd Lyda was a Norwegian chieftain and warrior who played a pivotal role in the conflicts between Norway and Sweden. In the 16th century, Hans Lyda was a renowned Dutch cartographer and explorer, known for his detailed maps of the Americas and his contributions to the Age of Exploration.

During the 17th century, Lyda was a prominent name among the Dutch settlers in New Netherland (present-day New York). One of the earliest recorded instances is Pieter Lyda, a farmer and landowner who settled in the area now known as Brooklyn in the 1640s.

In the 18th century, Johann Lyda was a German composer and organist who made significant contributions to the development of baroque music. His works included numerous organ concertos and sacred compositions that were widely performed in churches across Europe.

As the name Lyda continued to spread, it also appeared in various place names and locations. For example, the small town of Lyda in Virginia, United States, was named after a prominent local family bearing the surname in the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lyda

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

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

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

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