Lail
A rare surname whose origin is uncertain from the provided evidence, though it may be a short form or regional variant rather than a transparent occupational or place-name.
The #7,714 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 71,735 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The excerpts provided do not give a direct dictionary entry for Lail, only incidental mentions. On general onomastic grounds, Lail is likely to be a very short, reduced surname, possibly a dialect or spelling variant of a longer English name, but the exact source is not secure from these citations. Because the historical evidence here is too thin, any precise derivation would be speculative.
History
The name is uncommon in the modern United States, which fits a surname that may have arisen as a localized variant and later spread in small numbers. The historical excerpts do not supply a clear early bearer or a settled explanation for the name’s formation.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In census data, Lail is a distinctly uncommon surname, with only a few thousand bearers in the U.S. in 2010.
From the historical record
“1781. Married— Giorre Thornton and AmeyKeUy: St. Gea.Hiui. Sq.Lail. London, 1, 1. Ketton, Keeton, Kltton.— Local, ' of Ketton,' (i) a township”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances