2000
#12,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,312
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.86
Rare Last name
Leaman
A surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,451 Americans carry the last name Leaman. That puts it at #13,588 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.71 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 139,843 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leaman 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 Leaman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 139,843
Census rank
#13,588
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,137 bearers of the surname Leaman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.71 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13588th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leaman
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Leaman 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 Leaman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0% · 1,987
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 51
- Two or more races1.9% · 40
- Black or African American1.5% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leaman
Leaman 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
#12,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,468
+156 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.84
Rank movement Down 218 places
2020
#13,588
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,137
-331 bearers (-13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 1,040 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,330 | 2,312 | 0.86 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,548 | 2,468 | 0.84 | +156 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 218 places |
| 2020 | #13,588 | 2,137 | 0.71 | -331 bearers (-13.4%) | Down 1,040 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 Leaman 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 | #12,548 | #13,588 | -8.3% |
| Count | 2,468 | 2,137 | -13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.84 | 0.71 | -14.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leaman bearers went from 2,468 to 2,137 (-13.4% change). The surname moved down 1,040 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,548 to #13,588.
FAQ
Leaman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leaman?
Name Census estimates that about 2,451 living Americans carry the surname Leaman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 139,843 residents.
How common is Leaman?
Leaman ranks #13,588 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.71 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 2,137 people with the surname Leaman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,451), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.71 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.71 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 Leaman.
Has Leaman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leaman went from 2,468 recorded bearers to 2,137. That is a decrease of 331 (-13.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,548 to #13,588.
What does the Census say about the background of Leaman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaman, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.4%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Leaman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.0% (1,987 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leaman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.0%), Hispanic (2.4%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Leaman (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 Leaman mean?
A surname of English origin, derived from the Old English word "leah," meaning a meadow or clearing. 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 Leaman (0.71 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 share the surname Leaman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.