Explore the Family Name Lithgow

The meaning of Lithgow

Scottish: habitational name from Linlithgow, between Edinburgh and Falkirk, which was probably named with British words related to modern Welsh llyn ‘lake, pool’ + llaith ‘damp’ + cau ‘hollow’. In the 13th and 14th centuries the name appears both with and without the first syllable. Originally, Lithgow was the name of the settlement and Linlithgow that of the lake. Lithgow was associated by folk etymology with Gaelic liath ‘gray’ + cu ‘dog’, and such a figure appears on the medieval borough seal.

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

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

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Lithgow has seen a slight increase between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the name improved from 42,134 in 2000 to 40,432 in 2010, showing a 4.04% change. In terms of count, there were 485 individuals with this surname in 2000, which increased by approximately 11.55% to 541 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100,000 people remained constant at 0.18 for both years.

20002010Change
Rank#42,134#40,4324.04%
Count48554111.55%
Proportion per 100k0.180.180%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lithgow

The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census indicates a diverse set of ethnic identities associated with the surname Lithgow over the decade. In 2000, the majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, constituting 81.03%, but this percentage decreased slightly to 75.05% in 2010. There was also a noticeable increase in the Hispanic community, rising from 17.32% in 2000 to 22.00% in 2010. Although the number of people identifying with two or more races was small, it saw a significant relative increase from 1.44% in 2000 to 2.40% in 2010. No individuals with this surname identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.

20002010Change
White81.03%75.05%-7.38%
Hispanic17.32%22%27.02%
Two or More Races1.44%2.4%66.67%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Black0%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%