This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Lang family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Lang Family History

Lang Surname Meaning

Scottish, English, German, Dutch, Danish, and Jewish (Ashkenazic) names include Swedish (also Lång), a nickname for a tall person derived from Older Scots, Middle English, Middle High German, Middle Dutch, and Danish lang meaning ‘long’, as well as Swedish lång. The surname of (Middle High) German origin is also found in France (mainly Alsace and Lorraine), Czechia, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Slovenia.

Hungarian (Láng) is derived from láng meaning ‘flame’, which likely refers to a passionate person or someone with a fighting spirit. Alternatively, it may serve as an indirect occupational name for a smith or an individual who worked with fire. This surname can also be found in Slovenia, where it is spelled Lang, and in Slovakia, where it appears in both forms.

In Chinese, the Mandarin form of the surname 郎 refers to an ancient term for one’s lover or son. It has two origins: (i) from the placename Lang (郎), associated with a city that was home to Fei Bo, the grandson of the Duke Yi of Lu (ruler of the state of Lu from 815–807 BC), with some descendants changing their surname from Fei to Lang (郎); (ii) borne by families from the state of the South Huns (48–216 AD), located in northern China.

There is also a Cantonese form of the surname 冷, which is associated with Leng. Furthermore, variant Romanizations of the surnames 梁 and 藍 correspond to Liang and Lan, respectively. Additionally, the Vietnamese surname (Lăng) is derived from the Chinese surname 凌, as mentioned previously in Ling.

Moreover, another Vietnamese surname is derived from the Chinese surname 郎, which connects back to the earlier explanation regarding its roots.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Lang family from?

You can see how Lang families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Lang family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Lang families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 898 Lang families living in Lancashire. This was about 22% of all the recorded Lang's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Lang families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Lang surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Lang ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Lang. 9% of Lang men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Lang women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Lang were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Lang | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    9%
  • Farmer
    5%
  • Retired
    4%
  • Incapacitated
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Domestic Servant
    2%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    2%

What Lang family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 451,000 census records available for the last name Lang. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Lang census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Lang

Passenger Lists

There are 96,000 immigration records available for the last name Lang. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Lang immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 123,000 military records available for the last name Lang. For the veterans among your Lang ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Lang military records

You've only scratched the surface of Lang family history

Discover More

What is the average Lang lifespan?

Between 1943 and 2004, in the United States, Lang life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Lang in 1943 was 42, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Lang

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Lang ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Lang family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial