2000
#39,946
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 517
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.19
Very Rare Last name
Lysne
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of soap or tallow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 628 Americans carry the last name Lysne. That puts it at #42,600 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.18 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 545,787 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lysne 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
628
1 in 545,787
Census rank
#42,600
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
548
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 548 bearers of the surname Lysne in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.18 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 42600th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lysne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lysne
The surname LYSNE originated in Norway, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Norse word "lǫgsn," which referred to a small body of water or a pool. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near such water features.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the LYSNE surname can be found in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum, a collection of Norwegian medieval documents dating back to the 12th century. In this compilation, the name appears as "Lysne" in reference to a farm or settlement located in the present-day municipality of Eidsvoll, Norway.
During the 16th century, the LYSNE surname gained prominence in the region of Vestfold, Norway. Historical records from this period mention several notable individuals bearing this name, including Einar Lysne, a landowner and prominent figure in the local community born around 1520.
In the 17th century, the LYSNE surname appears to have spread to other parts of Norway, with records indicating individuals with this name residing in various regions, such as Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. One notable figure from this era was Ingrid Lysne, born in 1642, who was known for her expertise in traditional Norwegian weaving techniques.
As the name continued to evolve, variations in spelling emerged, including Lysne, Lüsne, and Lüssne. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local pronunciations.
In the 19th century, the LYSNE surname gained further recognition with the birth of Hans Lysne (1822-1904), a renowned Norwegian painter and artist. His works, depicting landscapes and rural scenes, are today considered important contributions to Norwegian art history.
Another notable figure bearing the LYSNE surname was Gunnar Lysne (1898-1987), a Norwegian writer and journalist. He is particularly remembered for his collection of short stories capturing the lives and experiences of people living in rural Norway.
Throughout its history, the LYSNE surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, ranging from farmers and landowners to artists and writers. While the name may have originated from a geographical reference, it has become a distinctive part of Norwegian heritage and cultural identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lysne
Among Census respondents with the surname Lysne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Lysne 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 Lysne surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 506
- Two or more races2.9% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 5
- Black or African American0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lysne
Lysne 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
#40,554
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 539
+22 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 608 places
2020
#42,600
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 548
+9 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.18
Rank movement Down 2,046 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #39,946 | 517 | 0.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #40,554 | 539 | 0.18 | +22 bearers (+4.3%) | Down 608 places |
| 2020 | #42,600 | 548 | 0.18 | +9 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 2,046 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 Lysne 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 | #40,554 | #42,600 | -5.0% |
| Count | 539 | 548 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.18 | 0.18 | 1.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lysne bearers went from 539 to 548 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 2,046 positions in the national ranking, going from #40,554 to #42,600.
FAQ
Lysne surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lysne?
Name Census estimates that about 628 living Americans carry the surname Lysne. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 545,787 residents.
How common is Lysne?
Lysne ranks #42,600 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.18 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 548 people with the surname Lysne. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (628), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.18 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.18 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 Lysne.
Has Lysne become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lysne went from 539 recorded bearers to 548. That is an increase of 9 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #40,554 to #42,600.
What does the Census say about the background of Lysne?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lysne, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lysne in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (506 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lysne appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Lysne (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 Lysne mean?
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of soap or tallow. 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 Lysne (0.18 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 common is the surname Lysne?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Lysne at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.