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

Leake, 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 Leake surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leake in America

Leake is the 5070th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leake surname appeared 6,915 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Leake.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leake 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 Leake

The surname Leake is of English origin and is believed to have derived from the Old English word "leac," which means a garden plot or a small meadow. It is likely that the name initially referred to someone who lived near or worked on such a plot of land.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Leake can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Lech." This entry suggests that the name was already in use in England during the Norman Conquest.

In the 13th century, the name was also recorded as "Lek" and "Leke," which were variations closer to the modern spelling of Leake. These early spellings provide insights into the evolution of the name over time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname was Sir John Leake, an English naval officer who lived from 1656 to 1720. He played a significant role in several naval battles during the War of the Spanish Succession and was later knighted for his service.

Another notable individual with the Leake surname was Stephen Martin Leake, an English antiquarian and numismatist born in 1702. He made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek and Roman coins and published several works on the subject.

In the 18th century, John Leake, an English clergyman and author, was born in 1729. He wrote several religious works and served as a chaplain in the British army during the American Revolutionary War.

The name Leake is also associated with place names in England, such as Leake in Lincolnshire and Leacroft in Staffordshire. These place names likely derived from the same Old English word that gave rise to the surname.

Throughout history, the Leake surname has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including military personnel, clergy, scholars, and others. While not as widespread as some other English surnames, it has left its mark on the historical record and continues to be carried by families today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leake

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

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

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

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