Leaman last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Leaman

A surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing.

Leaman, 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 Leaman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leaman in America

Leaman is the 12548th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leaman surname appeared 2,468 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Leaman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leaman 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 12548 12330 1.75%
Count 2,468 2,312 6.53%
Proportion per 100k 0.84 0.86 -2.35%

The history of the last name Leaman

The surname Leaman is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "leah," which referred to a meadow, clearing, or woodland glade. This suggests that the name likely originated as a topographic name, describing someone who lived near or in such a location.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Leamann." This entry provides evidence of the name's existence in the late 11th century. Over time, variations in spelling emerged, including Leeman, Leaman, and Leman.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in the Assize Rolls of Northumberland, a collection of legal records from the period. These rolls mention a certain "William Leman," indicating the presence of the surname in that region during the 1200s.

A notable figure bearing this name was Sir John Leaman, a prominent English merchant and politician who lived from 1580 to 1648. He served as a Member of Parliament for the city of London and played a significant role in the English Civil War.

Another historical figure was Robert Leaman, born in 1650 in Yorkshire, England. He was a respected author and scholar who wrote extensively on theological and philosophical subjects during the late 17th century.

In the 18th century, the name can be found in records from the American colonies. One such instance is that of William Leaman, a Quaker settler who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1720 and was among the early inhabitants of what is now Chester County.

A notable American bearing this name was Samuel Leaman, born in 1792 in Pennsylvania. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist who contributed significantly to the development of the city of Lancaster, where he lived and worked.

Another prominent figure was Sir William Leaman, a British Army officer who lived from 1836 to 1912. He served in various campaigns throughout the British Empire, including the Anglo-Zulu War and the Second Boer War, and was awarded several military honors for his service.

While the surname Leaman may have had various spellings and origins, it has left a lasting imprint on history, with numerous individuals bearing this name making significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leaman

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

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 Leaman was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.72% 2,313
Non-Hispanic Black Only 1.78% 44
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.81% 20
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.61% 15
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.42% 35
Hispanic Origin 1.66% 41

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 Leaman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.72% 95.37% -1.75%
Black 1.78% 1.04% 52.48%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.81% 0.74% 9.03%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.61% 0.48% 23.85%
Two or More Races 1.42% 1.08% 27.20%
Hispanic 1.66% 1.30% 24.32%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Leaman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/leaman-surname-popularity/.

"Leaman last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/leaman-surname-popularity/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

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

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