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

Lyons, 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 Lyons surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lyons in America

Lyons is the 369th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lyons surname appeared 84,516 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 29 people would have the surname Lyons.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lyons 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 Lyons

The surname Lyons is of English and French origin, derived from the French city of Lyon. The name first emerged in England during the Norman Conquest of 1066, when many French settlers brought their surnames to Britain. In its early forms, the name was spelled as Lyuns, Lyons, or Lions, reflecting the pronunciation of the city's name in medieval French.

The city of Lyon itself takes its name from the Latin word "Lugdunum," which was derived from the Celtic words "lug" meaning "hill" and "dun" meaning "fort." This suggests that the surname Lyons may have ancient Celtic roots, referring to someone who lived near a fortified hill or settlement.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Lyons is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where a landowner named Radulfus de Lyons is listed as holding estates in Oxfordshire.

In the 12th century, a notable bearer of the name was Geoffrey de Lyons, who was appointed Bishop of Coventry in 1189. Another early record is that of William de Lyons, who was granted lands in Nottinghamshire by King John in 1216.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Lyons was often associated with the cloth trade, as the city of Lyon was renowned for its silk and textile production. This connection is evidenced by the inclusion of the Lyons family in the Guild of Weavers in London during the 14th century.

In the 16th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of John Lyons (1514-1592), an English mathematician and scholar who served as the first professor of geometry at the University of Cambridge.

Another notable figure was Sir Edmund Lyons (1790-1858), a British naval officer who was appointed Lord of the Admiralty and played a crucial role in the Crimean War.

The 19th century saw the rise of several influential Lyons, including Richard Bickerton Pemell Lyons (1817-1886), an English diplomat and politician who served as the Governor of British Guiana and New Zealand.

In the realm of literature, Edmund Lyons (1865-1937) was an Irish writer and playwright known for his works depicting Irish rural life, such as "The Bondman" and "John Damer's Ghost."

These are just a few examples of the many notable individuals who have borne the surname Lyons throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and significance across various fields and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lyons

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

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

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

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