2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lymas
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from an Old French or Norman personal name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Lymas. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lymas surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Lymas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lymas, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.1%) and White (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lymas
The surname Lymas is of English origin, with its roots dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be a locational name derived from the village of Lymas in Hertfordshire, England. This village name itself is thought to originate from the Old English words "leac" (leak or onion) and "mas" (meadow), suggesting a connection to a leek or onion field.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lymas can be found in the Hertfordshire Parish Registers of 1592, where a certain John Lymas was mentioned. Another early reference is in the Subsidy Rolls of Bedfordshire from 1628, which lists a Thomas Lymas as a taxpayer.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, a place called "Lemes" is recorded, which is likely an early spelling variation of the village name Lymas. This further reinforces the name's connection to the Hertfordshire region.
Historically, the Lymas surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was William Lymas (1576-1638), an English clergyman who served as the Rector of St. Mary's Church in Stoke Newington, London, during the early 17th century.
Another prominent figure was Sir Robert Lymas (1628-1701), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Gloucestershire. He was knighted by King Charles II in recognition of his contributions to the local community and his support for the Crown during the English Civil War.
In the literary world, John Lymas (1804-1879) was an English poet and author known for his works on the rural life of his native Shropshire. His most famous work, "The Shepherd's Calendar," was published in 1854 and celebrated the traditions and customs of the region's farming communities.
Moving into the 20th century, Margaret Lymas (1910-1988) was a renowned British actress who graced the stage and screen for over five decades. She is particularly remembered for her roles in various Shakespearean productions and her performances in several BBC television series.
Finally, Sir Arthur Lymas (1921-2005) was a distinguished British diplomat who served as the Ambassador to the United Nations from 1979 to 1984. He played a crucial role in negotiating peace treaties and addressing international conflicts during his tenure.
While the surname Lymas may not be among the most common in the modern era, its history and origins can be traced back to the English countryside, where it once flourished among the leek and onion fields of Hertfordshire.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lymas
Among Census respondents with the surname Lymas, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.1%) and White (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Lymas bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lymas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American83.8% · 93
- Two or more races8.1% · 9
- White4.5% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lymas
Lymas appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+5 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,471 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 4,471 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lymas surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lymas bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Lymas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lymas?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Lymas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Lymas?
Lymas ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Lymas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lymas.
Has Lymas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lymas went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Lymas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lymas, the largest self-reported group is Black at 83.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.1%) and White (4.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lymas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.8% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lymas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (83.8%), Two or More Races (8.1%), White (4.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lymas (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lymas mean?
An English surname of uncertain origin, possibly derived from an Old French or Norman personal name. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lymas (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Lymas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.