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

Leatherwood, 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 Leatherwood surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leatherwood in America

Leatherwood is the 7488th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leatherwood surname appeared 4,449 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 Leatherwood.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leatherwood 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 Leatherwood

The surname Leatherwood is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "lether" meaning leather and "wudu" meaning wood, suggesting that it was initially a descriptive name given to someone who lived near a wooded area where leather was processed or tanned.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, dated 1296, where a John Letherwode is mentioned. This document provides evidence that the surname was already in use by the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Letherwood, Letherwode, and Letherwoodde, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that era. For instance, in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1438, a John Letherwood is recorded.

The surname Leatherwood was not uncommon in England during the 16th and 17th centuries. Notable individuals bearing this surname include William Leatherwood, a merchant from London who was born in 1550 and is mentioned in the records of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.

In the 18th century, the name continued to be found in various parts of England, with records showing Leatherwoods residing in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Dorset. One prominent figure from this period was John Leatherwood (1717-1795), a renowned architect who designed several churches and other buildings in the city of Bath.

As the British Empire expanded, the name Leatherwood also spread to other parts of the world. For example, in the late 18th century, a family by the name of Leatherwood settled in the American colonies, with records indicating their presence in Virginia and North Carolina.

In the 19th century, the Leatherwood surname gained further recognition with individuals such as Mary Ann Leatherwood (1802-1878), a noted author and poet from England, and Thomas Leatherwood (1856-1923), an influential businessman and philanthropist in the United States.

Throughout its history, the surname Leatherwood has been associated with various occupations, including merchants, architects, authors, and entrepreneurs, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leatherwood

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

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

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

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