Explore the Family Name Lakota

The meaning of Lakota

1. Czech: nickname for a miser, from lakota ‘miserliness’, by extension also ‘miser’. 2. Slovak: nickname from lakota ‘sweet, dainty’. 3. Slovenian: nickname from lakota ‘hunger’, by extension also ‘greediness’, possibly applied to a greedy person, or to a thin or poor person, or to someone with a canine appetite. 4. Native American (Sioux): ethnic name from the name of the Native American Lakota people, a division of the Sioux nation, which means ‘allied’ (or ‘allies’) and ‘friendly’ (or ‘friends’) in their language. See also Dakota.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Lakota in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Lakota" has seen a marked increase between 2000 and 2010. Ranked 76,208 in 2000, it jumped to 66,931 in 2010, reflecting a 12.17% change. The number of individuals carrying this surname also rose from 235 to 295, an increase of 25.53%. This shift signifies a rising prevalence of the surname Lakota, with its proportion per 100,000 people increasing by 11.11%.

20002010Change
Rank#76,208#66,93112.17%
Count23529525.53%
Proportion per 100k0.090.111.11%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lakota

In terms of ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows some shifts within the decade. While those identifying as White made up 83.40% of all Lakotas in 2000, this figure decreased by 5.71% to 78.64% in 2010. Those identifying as American Indian and Alaskan Native saw an increase, going from 11.91% to 14.92%. There was a notable rise within the group identifying as two or more races, increasing by 32.94%, while Hispanic representation emerged for the first time in 2010 at 2.37%. Asian/Pacific Islander and Black identities remained at 0 throughout both census years.

20002010Change
White83.4%78.64%-5.71%
American Indian and Alaskan Native11.91%14.92%25.27%
Two or More Races2.55%3.39%32.94%
Hispanic0%2.37%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%