Explore the Family Name Laban
The meaning of Laban
1. English (Derbyshire and Staffordshire): apparently a variant of Laybourn with loss of -r-. 2. French (mainly Gascogne): perhaps from the Biblical personal name Laban, borne by the father of Rachel and Leah. 3. Dutch (Zealand): of Scottish origin, from Loban (see Lobban). 4. North German: variant of Labahn. 5. Serbian: nickname derived from the Romance root alb- ‘white’ or from obsolete Serbian labati ‘to swill, to swig’. Alternatively, perhaps from the Biblical personal name Laban (see 2 above). 6. Hungarian: probably a variant of Labanc, an unflattering nickname for a pro-Austrian soldier who fought against the Hungarians in the independence wars in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. This nickname derived from the Hungarian lobonc ‘unkempt hair’, referring the long hair of the Habsburg soldiers. Later the name became a vocabulary word denoting a foot soldier or a rough strong man. See also Kurucz. 7. In some cases probably also an Americanized form of Slovenian Leban or of its probable cognate Leben.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Laban in the United States?
Based on the data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Laban has seen a slight decrease between 2000 and 2010. Ranked at 39,176 in 2000, it dropped to 41,799 in 2010, marking a 6.7% change. The count of individuals bearing this surname also declined slightly, from 529 in 2000 to 520 in 2010, indicating a 1.7% reduction. The proportion per 100,000 people also fell by 10%, from 0.2 in 2000 to 0.18 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #39,176 | #41,799 | -6.7% |
| Count | 529 | 520 | -1.7% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.2 | 0.18 | -10% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Laban
In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows some shifts within the groups associated with the surname Laban between 2000 and 2010. The proportion of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by almost half, rising from 13.42% to 20%. Those reporting two or more races also rose, from 5.67% to 7.50%. However, the proportion of individuals identifying as White decreased from 67.86% to 59.62%. Hispanic representation saw significant growth, jumping from 1.7% to 3.85%, while Black representation saw a slight increase, from 3.97% to 4.04%. Finally, the proportion of American Indian and Alaskan Native identifiers decreased from 7.37% to 5%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 67.86% | 59.62% | -12.14% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 13.42% | 20% | 49.03% |
| Two or More Races | 5.67% | 7.5% | 32.28% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 7.37% | 5% | -32.16% |
| Black | 3.97% | 4.04% | 1.76% |
| Hispanic | 1.7% | 3.85% | 126.47% |