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

Leaks, 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 Leaks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leaks in America

Leaks is the 20697th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leaks surname appeared 1,278 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 Leaks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leaks 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 Leaks

The surname "LEAKS" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, with its roots likely tracing back to the Old English word "leac," which means "leek" or "vegetable garden." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational surname, referring to individuals who cultivated or traded in leeks or other vegetables.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1195, where a person named Richard le Leke is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Leke," further reinforces the connection to the Old English word "leac."

The surname "LEAKS" has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Leake in Lincolnshire and Leake in Nottinghamshire. These place names derive from the Old English word "leac," indicating that the name may have originated as a locational surname for individuals hailing from these areas.

Notably, the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership in England compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname "LEAKS." However, it does mention several place names that could potentially be linked to the origin of the name, such as "Lece" in Norfolk and "Lece" in Suffolk.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname "LEAKS." One prominent figure was Sir John Leake (1656-1720), an English naval officer who served as an Admiral of the Fleet during the War of the Spanish Succession. Another was Ralph Leake (1563-1646), an English lawyer and MP who served as the Speaker of the House of Commons from 1640 to 1641.

In the literary realm, John Leake (1729-1792) was an English antiquary and topographer known for his work on the history of Hertfordshire. Additionally, Henry Leake (1790-1876) was a British archaeologist and numismatist who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek coins and inscriptions.

While the surname "LEAKS" has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, such as "Leake," "Leek," and "Leeke," its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "leac," reflecting its connection to the cultivation or trade of leeks and other vegetables in medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leaks

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!