Leahu last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Leahu

A Romanian-Jewish surname possibly derived from the Hebrew name "Levy".

Leahu, 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 Leahu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leahu in America

Leahu is the 145220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leahu surname appeared 114 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Leahu.

The history of the last name Leahu

The surname LEAHU has its origins in Romania, dating back to the late 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Romanian word "leu," meaning "lion," which was likely used as a nickname or descriptive term for someone with a lion-like appearance or personality.

In the early days, the name was primarily concentrated in the regions of Transylvania and Moldavia, where it was commonly found among the Romanian population. Some historical records suggest that the name may have also been influenced by the Hungarian word "leó," which also means "lion."

One of the earliest known references to the name LEAHU can be found in a land registry from the town of Sibiu, Transylvania, dated around 1492. This document mentions a certain "Ion Leahu," who owned a parcel of land in the area.

As time passed, the name spread to other parts of Romania, and variations in spelling emerged, such as Leahu, Lehău, and Leau. In the 18th century, the LEAHU family gained prominence in the city of Iași, where several members held influential positions in the local government and church.

Notable individuals with the surname LEAHU include Ion Leahu (1808-1879), a prominent Romanian politician and judge who served as the Minister of Justice in the mid-19th century. Another notable figure was Vasile Leahu (1856-1923), a celebrated painter and art teacher who played a significant role in the development of Romanian art education.

In the early 20th century, the name LEAHU gained international recognition thanks to the achievements of the writer and poet Lucian Leahu (1887-1962), whose works explored themes of rural life and Romanian folklore. His collection of short stories, "Povestiri din Codru," published in 1921, is considered a classic of Romanian literature.

Another remarkable individual with this surname was Alexandru Leahu (1915-1998), a renowned architect who left a lasting impact on the urban landscape of Bucharest with his modernist designs, including the iconic Ștefan cel Mare Cinema.

Throughout its history, the surname LEAHU has been associated with individuals from various walks of life, including artists, politicians, intellectuals, and professionals, contributing to the cultural and social fabric of Romania.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leahu

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

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 Leahu was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 98.25% 112
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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.

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 Leahu was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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"Leahu last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on August 17, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/leahu-surname-popularity/.

"Leahu last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/leahu-surname-popularity/. Accessed 17 August, 2025

Leahu last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/leahu-surname-popularity/.

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