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Show ContentsLang History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
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Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

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The name Lang comes from the ancient Anglo-Norman culture of Scotland and Britain. It was a name for a person who was considered long and tall. Of the many surnames in Scotland, the surname Lang is considered among etymologists to be one of the oldest. It belongs to a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames. As a nickname surname Lang could refer either directly or indirectly to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character.

Early Origins of the Lang family

The surname Lang was first found in at Berwyke in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where William Lange rendered homage to King Edward I in 1296. A few years later in 1341, Adam Lang was listed in an inquest of land in Aberdeenshire. Walter Lang was the burgess of Edinburgh in 1381 and 1392. Robert Lang was chaplain to Duncan, Earl of Lennox between 1394 and 1398. The name occurs in Old English charters as early as 972 A.D, e.g., "Aetheric thes langa," and the name means 'long' or 'tall'.

Early History of the Lang family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Lang research. Another 203 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1357, 1394, 1467, 1483, 1502 and 1594 are included under the topic Early Lang History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lang Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Lang, Lange, Laing, Layng, Loynachans and others.

Early Notables of the Lang family

Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Lang Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Lang World Ranking

In the United States, the name Lang is the 542nd most popular surname with an estimated 52,227 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Lang is ranked the 424th most popular surname with an estimated 11,020 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Lang is the 606th popular surname with an estimated 7,765 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Lang as 368th with 9,911 people. 4 New Zealand ranks Lang as 457th with 1,512 people. 5 The United Kingdom ranks Lang as 732nd with 9,177 people. 6

Ireland Migration of the Lang family to Ireland

Some of the Lang family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

United States Lang migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lang Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Lang, who settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts in 1620
Lang Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Abm Lang, who arrived in New York in 1709 7
  • Eke Lang, who arrived in New York in 1709 7
  • Hans Wolf Lang, who landed in New York in 1709 7
  • Johan Lang, who arrived in New York in 1709 7
  • Morits Lang, who landed in New York in 1709 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lang Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Nathaniel Lang, aged 36, who arrived in New York in 1812 7
  • Ob Lang, who arrived in New Hampshire in 1812 7
  • Oh Lang, who landed in Virginia in 1812 7
  • Abraham Lang, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1812 7
  • Beltran Lang, who arrived in Puerto Rico in 1816 7
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Lang Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Miss Jessie Lang, (b. 1900), aged 4, American returning from Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th October 1904 en route to Montana, USA 8
  • Mr. Lewis Lang, (b. 1874), aged 30, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th October 1904 en route to Montana, USA 8
  • Mrs. Mary A. Lang, (b. 1883), aged 21, English settler travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 15th October 1904 en route to Montana, USA 8
  • Mr. Samuel Lang, (b. 1884), aged 21, Cornish engine fitter, from Penryn, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Lucania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York in 1905 en route to Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA 8
  • Lina Lang, who arrived in America in 1934 7

Canada Lang migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Lang Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. John Lang U.E. who settled in Eastern District [Cornwall], Ontario c. 1784 9
Lang Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Margaret Lang, aged 27 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "James Moran" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 10
  • Mrs. Margaret Lang, aged 40 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Free Trader" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 10
  • Ms. Mary Ann Lang, aged 22 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "John Munn" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle on 31st August 1847 10
  • Mr. Martin Lang, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Golden Spring" departing 27th May 1847 from London, England; the ship arrived on 13th July 1847 but he died on board 11

Australia Lang migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Lang Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • John Robertson Lang, Scottish convict from Glasgow, who was transported aboard the "Asia" on September 3rd, 1820, settling in New South Wales, Australia 12
  • Mr. Thomas Lang, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life, transported aboard the "Caledonia" in 19th June 1822, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 13
  • Mr. Alexander Lang, (b. 1794), aged 34, Scottish stone cutter who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 14 years for robbery, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1833 14
  • Mr. William Lang, Scottish convict who was convicted in Ayr, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "David Lyon" on 29th April 1830, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 15
  • Miss Nancy Lang, Scottish Convict who was convicted in Glasgow, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Atwick" on 28 September 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 16
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

New Zealand Lang migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Lang Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Hugh Lang, aged 11, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Duchess of Argyle" in 1842
  • Mr. James Lang, (b. 1827), aged 23, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 17
  • Mrs. Mary Lang, (b. 1824), aged 26, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 17
  • Miss Mary Lang, (b. 1850), aged Infant, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Randolph" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand in September 1850 17
  • Mr. Joseph Lang, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Royal Albert" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 6th March 1853 17
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Lang (post 1700) +

  • Eugene Michael "Gene" Lang (1919-2017), American businessman who founded REFAC Technology Development Corporation in 1951 and later a noted philanthropist, creator of I Have A Dream Foundation in 1981, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton in 1996
  • Michael Anthony Lang (1941-2022), American pianist and composer of more than 2500 film scores
  • Michael Lang (1944-2022), American concert promoter, producer, and artistic manager, best known as a co-creator of the Woodstock Music & Art Festival in 1969
  • Archie Lang (1920-2016), American actor, known for General Hospital (1963), Blow Out (1981) and Dream Lover (1993)
  • Brigadier-General John Walton Lang (1883-1967), American Military Attaché to Argentina (1941-1945) 18
  • Serge Lang (1927-2005), French-born American mathematician awarded the Steele Prize for Mathematical Exposition in 1999
  • Anton Lang (b. 1913), American plant physiologist, and winner of many awards
  • Paul Henry Lang (b. 1901), Hungarian-born pianist who became editor of the "Musical Quarterly"
  • Stephen Lang (b. 1952), American actor and co-artistic director of the famed Actor's Studio at its headquarters in New York City
  • Fritz Lang (1890-1976), Austrian/American film director
  • ... (Another 72 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Bismarck
  • Werner Lang (1922-1941), German Schreibergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
  • Alfred Lang (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 19
Empress of Ireland
  • Mr. Benjamin Lang, British Seaman from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 20
Flight 191
  • Mrs. Lang (d. 1979), American passenger from Barrington, Illinois, USA, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 21
Flight TWA 800
  • Mr. Raymond A. Lang (1945-1996), from North Massapequa, New York, USA, American TWA crew member flying aboard flight TWA 800 from J.F.K. Airport, New York to Leonardo da Vinci Airport, Rome when the plane crashed after takeoff ; he died in the crash 22
Halifax Explosion
HMAS Sydney II
  • Mr. William Hugh Lang (1921-1941), Australian Stoker 2nd Class from Punchbowl, New South Wales, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
  • Mr. John Lang (1916-1941), Australian Able Seaman from East Coorparoo, Queensland, Australia, who sailed into battle aboard HMAS Sydney II and died in the sinking 24
HMS Cornwall
  • Robert Russell Lang (d. 1942), British Able Seaman aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 25
HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Joseph Patrick Lang (b. 1920), Scottish Stoker 2nd Class from Glasgow, Scotland, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 26
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Robert Gage Somers Lang, British Captain, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 27
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Fang Lang, aged 26, Chinese Third Class passenger from Hong Kong who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and survived in the sinking in life boat 14 28
St. Francis Dam
  • Mr. C. J. Lang, American resident in Santa Clarita killed when the St. Francis Dam failed and flooded the area in 1928
Triangle Waist Company
  • Miss Christina Lang, American worker who was at Triangle Waist Company factory at the Asch building in Greenwich Village on the 25th March 1911 when fire broke out; she survived the fire 29

Suggested Readings for the name Lang +

  • The Lang, Meyer, Longtin, Goussett Lines by Gloria Lang Smethers.
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  3. http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
  4. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  5. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  6. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  7. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  8. Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
  9. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  10. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 38)
  11. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 83)
  12. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Asia 1 voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1820 with 192 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1820
  13. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/caledonia
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-lyon
  16. Convict Records of Australia. Retreived 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atwick
  17. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  18. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, April 2) John Lang. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Lang/John_Walton/USA.html
  19. Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
  20. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  21. Flight 191's Victims - latimes. (Retrieved 2014, April 16) . Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-04/news/mn-4349_1_fort-lauderdale-area
  22. The Washington Post Passenger List TWA Flight 800. (Retrieved 2018, February 15th). Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/list01.htm
  23. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  24. HMAS Sydney II, Finding Sydney Foundation - Roll of Honour. (Retrieved 2014, April 24) . Retrieved from http://www.findingsydney.com/roll.asp
  25. Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
  26. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  27. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  28. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
  29. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (retrieved on 3rd August 2021.) Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire

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