2000
#25,466
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 912
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.34
Rare Last name
Leaphart
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the hart's leap".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,035 Americans carry the last name Leaphart. That puts it at #28,136 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 331,164 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leaphart 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.
Bearers in the US
1.0K
1 in 331,164
Census rank
#28,136
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
903
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 903 bearers of the surname Leaphart in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 28136th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaphart, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leaphart
The surname LEAPHART has its origins in Germany and dates back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Laufer," meaning "runner" or "messenger." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who worked as a courier or delivered important messages during that time period.
The earliest recorded instance of the name LEAPHART can be found in a 16th-century manuscript from the region of Bavaria, where it was spelled as "Laufhart." This variation in spelling was common in those days due to the lack of standardized writing conventions.
As the name spread across various parts of Germany, it underwent slight changes in spelling, such as "Laufhardt" and "Laufhart." Some of these variations can be traced back to certain place names or local dialects.
One notable individual with the surname LEAPHART was Johann Laufhart, a German theologian and author who lived from 1564 to 1624. He wrote several works on religious topics and was highly regarded in his time.
In the 17th century, the name LEAPHART appears in records from the city of Nuremberg, where a family of merchants bearing this surname was documented. One member of this family, Hans Laufhart (1620-1687), was a successful trader who played a significant role in the city's economic affairs.
Another prominent figure was Friedrich Laufhart (1725-1798), a German philosopher and educator who made significant contributions to the field of pedagogy. His writings on education and child development were widely influential during the Enlightenment period.
As the LEAPHART surname spread beyond Germany, it also gained a presence in other European countries. In the 18th century, records show a family with this name living in the Netherlands, where it was spelled as "Leaphart."
One notable Dutch individual with this surname was Pieter Leaphart (1745-1812), a renowned painter known for his landscapes and portraits. His works can be found in various museums across the Netherlands.
While the LEAPHART surname may not be as common as some others, it has a rich history spanning several centuries and countries. Its origins can be traced back to the German word "Laufer," reflecting the profession of a messenger or courier in the 16th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leaphart
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaphart, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Leaphart 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 Leaphart surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White53.3% · 481
- Black or African American40.0% · 361
- Two or more races4.7% · 42
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 15
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leaphart
Leaphart 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
#25,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 946
+34 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.32
Rank movement Down 488 places
2020
#28,136
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 903
-43 bearers (-4.5%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Down 2,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #25,466 | 912 | 0.34 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #25,954 | 946 | 0.32 | +34 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 488 places |
| 2020 | #28,136 | 903 | 0.30 | -43 bearers (-4.5%) | Down 2,182 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 Leaphart 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 | #25,954 | #28,136 | -8.4% |
| Count | 946 | 903 | -4.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.32 | 0.30 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leaphart bearers went from 946 to 903 (-4.5% change). The surname moved down 2,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #25,954 to #28,136.
FAQ
Leaphart surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leaphart?
Name Census estimates that about 1,035 living Americans carry the surname Leaphart. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 331,164 residents.
How common is Leaphart?
Leaphart ranks #28,136 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.30 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 903 people with the surname Leaphart. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,035), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.30 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Leaphart.
Has Leaphart become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leaphart went from 946 recorded bearers to 903. That is a decrease of 43 (-4.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #25,954 to #28,136.
What does the Census say about the background of Leaphart?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leaphart, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.3%. The next largest groups are Black (40.0%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Leaphart in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.3% (481 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leaphart appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (53.3%), Black (40.0%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Leaphart (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 Leaphart mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "the hart's leap". 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 Leaphart (0.30 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 have the last name Leaphart?
You can see how many people have the surname Leaphart on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.