2000
#13,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
League
An occupational surname referring to a physician or a person who heals.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,365 Americans carry the last name League. That puts it at #13,999 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 144,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the League surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for League with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.4K
1 in 144,928
Census rank
#13,999
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,062 bearers of the surname League in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13999th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname League, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Black (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of League
The surname League has its origins in England and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "leah," which means a meadow or clearing in a forest. This term was often used as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived in a meadow or clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "de la Leye." This suggests that the name was initially a locational surname, indicating a person's place of residence or origin.
In the 13th century, the name took on the spellings "Lega" and "Legge," further evolving into the modern form of "League." This transition can be attributed to the influence of the Norman French language and the changing linguistic landscape of England during this period.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname League. One example is John League (c. 1480-1546), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Westbury in Wiltshire during the reign of Henry VIII.
Another prominent figure is William League (1562-1637), an English clergyman and author who published several works on theology and biblical commentary. He was born in Cheshire and served as the rector of Stratford-upon-Avon for a significant portion of his career.
In the 17th century, the name League was also associated with the town of Leagrave, located in Bedfordshire, England. It is believed that some individuals with the surname may have originated from this area or had connections to it.
The 18th century saw the birth of John League (1720-1799), a English naval officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War. He served as a captain in the Royal Navy and played a role in several significant naval engagements.
Moving into the 19th century, we encounter William League (1834-1912), a British artist and painter known for his landscapes and maritime scenes. He was born in London and exhibited his works regularly at the Royal Academy.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have carried the surname League. The name's origins can be traced back to the Old English word "leah," signifying a connection to meadows and clearings in the English countryside.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for League
Among Census respondents with the surname League, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Black (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how League bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the League surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.4% · 1,741
- Two or more races5.4% · 112
- Black or African American5.1% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 77
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for League
League appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#13,795
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,192
+74 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Down 575 places
2020
#13,999
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,062
-130 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.69
Rank movement Down 204 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,220 | 2,118 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,795 | 2,192 | 0.74 | +74 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 575 places |
| 2020 | #13,999 | 2,062 | 0.69 | -130 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 204 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the League surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,795 | #13,999 | -1.5% |
| Count | 2,192 | 2,062 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.74 | 0.69 | -6.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of League bearers went from 2,192 to 2,062 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 204 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,795 to #13,999.
FAQ
League surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname League?
Name Census estimates that about 2,365 living Americans carry the surname League. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 144,928 residents.
How common is League?
League ranks #13,999 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.69 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,062 people with the surname League. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,365), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.69 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.69 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname League.
Has League become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname League went from 2,192 recorded bearers to 2,062. That is a decrease of 130 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #13,795 to #13,999.
What does the Census say about the background of League?
Among Census respondents with the surname League, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Black (5.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname League in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (1,741 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
League appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.4%), Two or More Races (5.4%), Black (5.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for League (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does League mean?
An occupational surname referring to a physician or a person who heals. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for League (0.69 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called League?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname League, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.