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

Strang, 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 Strang surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Strang in America

Strang is the 7652nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Strang surname appeared 4,341 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 Strang.

We can also compare 2010 data for Strang 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 Strang

The surname Strang originated in Scotland, deriving from the old Scottish word "strang" which means strong or fortified. It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century, referring to someone who lived in or near a fortified place or stronghold.

The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, when a Robert Strang is mentioned in the records of Lanarkshire, Scotland in 1296. The name is also found in various old Scottish charters and manuscripts from this period.

One notable figure was Sir John Strang, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. He was awarded lands in Ayrshire for his loyalty and bravery.

Another early bearer of the name was William Strang, a merchant and burgess of Edinburgh, who is recorded in the Burgh Records of Edinburgh in 1428.

In the 16th century, the Strang family held lands in the parish of Galston, Ayrshire, and the nearby village of Strangholm took its name from them.

One of the most famous individuals with this surname was Robert Strang (1859-1918), a Scottish painter and engraver known for his etchings and portraits. He was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1908.

Another notable figure was William Strang (1877-1934), a British diplomat and civil servant who served as Governor of Nyasaland (now Malawi) from 1923 to 1928.

In the 20th century, Sir William Strang (1893-1978) was a highly respected British diplomat and civil servant who served as Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign Office from 1949 to 1953.

The Strang surname has also been well-represented in the field of literature, with writers such as John Strang (1795-1863), a Scottish poet and author, and William Strang (1832-1914), a Scottish author and editor.

While the name has its roots in Scotland, bearers of the Strang surname can now be found throughout the English-speaking world, particularly in countries with significant Scottish immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Strang

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

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

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

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