Find out how popular the last name Le is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Le.

Le, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Le surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Le in America

Le is the 277th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Le surname appeared 110,967 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 38 people would have the surname Le.

We can also compare 2010 data for Le to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Le

The surname "Le" is of French origin, derived from the Old French word "le", which means "the". It is believed to have originated as a nickname or descriptive name during the Middle Ages, sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries.

This surname was commonly found in various regions of France, particularly in the northern and central parts of the country. It is thought to have been used as a distinguishing name for individuals who lived near a prominent landmark or feature, such as a hill, river, or forest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Le" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This document contains references to individuals with the surname "Le", suggesting that the name had already gained recognition by that time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the surname "Le" was Robert le Bougre, a French knight who participated in the Seventh Crusade. He was born around 1215 and is mentioned in several historical accounts of the crusade.

Another prominent individual with the surname "Le" was Philippe le Hardi, better known as Philip the Bold, who was the Duke of Burgundy from 1363 to 1404. He played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War and was known for his military prowess and political acumen.

During the Renaissance period, a French philosopher and writer named Étienne de La Boétie, born in 1530, gained recognition for his influential work "Discourse on Voluntary Servitude". He was a close friend of the famous essayist Michel de Montaigne.

In the 17th century, a French painter named Claude Le Lorrain, born in 1600, became renowned for his landscape paintings, which significantly influenced the development of the Baroque style in art.

Another notable figure with the surname "Le" was François Le Vau, a French architect born in 1612. He was a prominent figure in the French Baroque architectural movement and designed several important buildings, including the East Wing of the Louvre Palace in Paris.

As the surname "Le" spread throughout France and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations and place-name associations, reflecting the diverse regions where it was adopted. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain rooted in the Old French word "le", signifying a descriptive or locational identifier.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Le

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Le.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Le was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Le has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Le was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Le, please contact us.

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