The Lancaster surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 32,362 people carried this name — #1,080 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,120 people counted. That is up 2% from 31,686 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Lancaster surname

A habitational surname from Old English.

From Middle English Lancaster, Loncastre, the name of the Roman fort on the River Lune, from Lune + the Old English suffix ceaster (“town”), found in many placenames.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Lancaster» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

39 people named Lancaster live in Switzerland.

They live in 7 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Zurich 11
Geneva 8
Vaud 5
Valais 5
Bern 4
Graubünden 3
Neuchâtel 3

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Lancaster was found among the farmers of 5 counties.

It was most frequent in Cumberland and Westmorland: 30 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 333. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Cumberland and Westmorland 30
Lancashire 17
Yorkshire, West Riding 9
Lincolnshire 7
Yorkshire, North and East Ridings 7

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Lancaster was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

84 families named Lancaster, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 537 people lived in those households, 6.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 7 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 19
Virginia 15
Maine 10
Maryland 10
South Carolina 10
Pennsylvania 6
New York 5
New Hampshire 4
Massachusetts 4
Connecticut 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 249 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Lancaster in American newspapers,
1906–1922.

Newspaper page from The Hood River Glacier carrying the name Lancaster
The Hood River Glacier 1922-02-09
Newspaper page from The Laramie Republican carrying the name Lancaster
The Laramie Republican 1910-03-12
Newspaper page from The Commercial carrying the name Lancaster
The Commercial 1906-04-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 5,156 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Lancaster in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

38,596 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Lancaster. The most, 6,693, date from the 1930s. Victoria has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Northern Territory, at 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Victoria 13,043
New South Wales 12,648
Queensland 6,150
Western Australia 2,297
Tasmania 2,002
South Australia 1,904
ACT (Canberra) 325
Northern Territory 128

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Lancaster.

In the public record

People named Lancaster,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States2,350 records

2,350 records of the Lancaster name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,193
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 449
  • Other U.S. records 708
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Manning Lancaster

    Born 1949; from Louisville, Kentucky. U.S. Marine Corps, rifleman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Buried at Zachary Taylor National Cemetery, Kentucky.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Raymond S. Lancaster

    Born 1919 in Maryland. Enlisted 1941 at Baltimore; driver from Baltimore City. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at Crownsville Veterans Cemetery, Maryland.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Albert Lancaster

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the Waesland from Antwerp, aged 34; merchant. From Bruxelles, Belgium; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 2,350 records for Lancaster in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,220 records

1,220 records of the Lancaster name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 527
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 263
  • Other Australian records 430
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Thomas Lancaster

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Larkins, sailing from Downs in 1831. Native of Lancashire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1840. Married 1841 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 34.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Pauline Phyllis Lancaster

    Born 1913 in Strathblane, Tasmania. Died 1931 in Tasmania, aged 18.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Martha Ann Lancaster

    Born 1851 in Morven, Tasmania. Married 1871 in Port Sorell, Tasmania, aged 20.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,220 records for Lancaster in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

Canada109 records

109 records of the Lancaster name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 29
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 21
  • Other Canadian records 59
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Thomas Lancaster

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917; buried at St John's Cemetery, Halifax.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos Lancaster

    Came to Ontario in 1871 aboard the Scan, bound for NewMarket, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Howard Charles Lancaster

    Died 1958, aged 64; buried at St. Vital Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 109 records for Lancaster in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom84 records

84 records of the Lancaster name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 62
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 22
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Richard Lancaster

    Buried in 1826 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 75.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record F. Lancaster

    South Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Lancaster

    Buried in 1835 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 67.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 84 records for Lancaster in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand47 records

47 records of the Lancaster name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 44
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Lucy Evelyn Lancaster

    Died 1979, aged 75; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Cyril Lancaster

    Buried in 1958 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 55.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record H. Lancaster

    Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 47 records for Lancaster in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

France5 records

5 records of the Lancaster name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jacques Stephan Charles Lancaster

    Born 1926 in Labuissière; died 1976 in Houdain (Pas-de-Calais).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Jacques Lucien Lancaster

    Born 1935 in Marissel; died 1999 in Beauvais (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Lancaster in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands5 records

5 records of the Lancaster name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John Lancaster

    Died 1871 in Hellevoetsluis, aged 44; "gezagvoerder".

    Open Archives, Streekarchief Voorne-Putten (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Elisabeth Dideriea Lancaster

    Born 1836 in 's-Gravenzande.

    Open Archives, Historisch Archief Westland (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 5 records for Lancaster in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Lancaster.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Lancaster is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Lancaster volume
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