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

Leatherman, 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 Leatherman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leatherman in America

Leatherman is the 6033rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leatherman surname appeared 5,696 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 Leatherman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leatherman 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 Leatherman

The surname Leatherman is of English origin, derived from the occupation of a leather worker or maker of leather goods. It first emerged in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when surnames based on occupations became increasingly common in England.

The name is believed to have originated in various regions of England where the leather trade was prevalent, such as London, Bristol, and other major urban centers. It may have been derived from the Old English word "lether" or the Middle English "lether," meaning leather.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Leatherman appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Warwickshire in 1332, where a John le Lethermonger is mentioned. The "le" prefix was commonly used in medieval times to indicate occupation, and "lethermonger" referred to a leather merchant or trader.

In the 15th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as Letherman, Lethirman, and Lethyrman, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that era. Some examples include Thomas Lethirman, recorded in the Rotuli Parliamentorum in 1455, and John Lethyrman, mentioned in the Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem in 1467.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Nicholas Leatherman (c. 1485-1552), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1545. He was involved in the city's leather trade and served as a Member of Parliament for London.

Another individual of historical significance was John Leatherman (c. 1600-1670), a Puritan settler who immigrated to New England in the 1630s and became a prominent figure in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was among the founders of Ipswich, Massachusetts, and served as a deacon in the local church.

In the 18th century, the Leatherman surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, where a family of Leathermans owned a tannery and leather workshop in the city of Leeds. One member of this family, Samuel Leatherman (1725-1803), became a respected figure in the local community and served as a magistrate.

Another notable bearer of the name was Mary Leatherman (1774-1859), an English Quaker minister and author who traveled extensively, preaching and writing about her religious beliefs. Her memoirs, published posthumously, provide valuable insights into the life and experiences of a 19th-century Quaker woman.

Throughout its history, the surname Leatherman has been associated with the leather trade and various occupations related to the production and commerce of leather goods, reflecting its origins as an occupational surname in medieval England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leatherman

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

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

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

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