Explore the Family Name Lake
The meaning of Lake
1. English (mainly West Country): topographic name usually for someone who lived by a streamlet (Middle English lak(e), Old English lacu) or who lived at or came from any of the places so named, such as Lack in Church Stoke (Shropshire) and Lake in Wilsford near Amesbury (Wiltshire). Lake is a common minor placename in Devon. 2. English: occasionally perhaps a topographic name for someone who lived by a lake or pool (Middle English, Old French lake), though it is uncertain that this word was current in ordinary vocabulary during the main period of surname formation (1250–1400). 3. North German and Dutch: habitational name from any of several places in Westphalia and Lower Saxony so named, or a topographic name from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch lake ‘swamp, swampy meadow’ (Middle Dutch also ‘border water’). 4. Americanized form (translation into English) of Finnish Järvinen, an ornamental name based on järvi ‘lake’ (see Jarvinen).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lake in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Lake" slightly decreased in ranking between 2000 and 2010, moving from rank 1035 to 1091, a change of approximately -5.41 percent. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the surname increased from 30,924 to 32,104, an increase of about 3.82 percent. The proportion of 'Lakes' per 100,000 people also experienced a minor decrease of around -5.06 percent over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,035 | #1,091 | -5.41% |
| Count | 30,924 | 32,104 | 3.82% |
| Proportion per 100k | 11.46 | 10.88 | -5.06% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lake
When examining the ethnic identity tied to the surname "Lake", there have been shifts within various groups between 2000 and 2010 based on the Decennial U.S. Census data. White individuals possessing the surname saw a slight decrease from 83.56 percent to 81.43 percent. Meanwhile, those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native all saw increases. Asian/Pacific Islanders rose from 0.71 percent to 0.88 percent, those identifying with two or more races increased from 1.46 percent to 2.09 percent, Hispanics from 1.80 percent to 2.57 percent, Blacks from 11.32 percent to 11.85 percent, and American Indian and Alaskan Natives from 1.14 percent to 1.18 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 83.56% | 81.43% | -2.55% |
| Black | 11.32% | 11.85% | 4.68% |
| Hispanic | 1.8% | 2.57% | 42.78% |
| Two or More Races | 1.46% | 2.09% | 43.15% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.14% | 1.18% | 3.51% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.71% | 0.88% | 23.94% |
Lake ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Lake is British & Irish, which comprises 48.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.0%) and Eastern European (4.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 48.2% |
| French & German | 24.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.9% |
| Other | 22.9% |
Possible origins of the surname Lake
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Lake have recent ancestry locations in United Kingdom and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 82.10% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 82.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 81.80% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 81.60% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 81.40% |
What Lake haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Lake is R-Z19, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-Z19 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-M405 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Randall, Piper, Sutton, Livingston, Lawrence, Bryan, Bryant, Howard, Slater, Mitchell.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Lake surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Lake have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Lake" Surname 42.5%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Lake" Surname 27.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Lake" Surname 24.7%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Lake" Surname 22.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Lake?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Lake are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition