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

Lech, 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 Lech surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lech in America

Lech is the 20029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lech surname appeared 1,336 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lech.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lech 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 Lech

The surname LECH has its origins in Poland, where it first emerged in the early medieval period, around the 10th or 11th century. It is derived from the Old Polish word "lech," which means "a member of the Polish nobility." This name is closely associated with the legendary figure of Lech, who is credited with founding the Polish nation.

One of the earliest documented references to the name LECH can be found in the Polish Chronicle, a historical record compiled in the 12th century. This text mentions several individuals bearing this surname, suggesting that it was already well-established by that time.

Throughout the Middle Ages, the LECH surname was prominent among the Polish nobility and landed gentry. It was often associated with landholdings and estates, as well as positions of authority and influence within the kingdom of Poland.

One notable figure from the 14th century was Jan LECH, a wealthy landowner and military leader who served under King Casimir III the Great. He played a significant role in defending the Polish territories against the Teutonic Knights.

In the 16th century, Stanisław LECH (1520-1589) was a renowned scholar, writer, and diplomat who served as the secretary to King Sigismund II Augustus. His writings on Polish history and culture are considered important sources of information from that era.

During the Polish Renaissance, the LECH family produced several prominent figures in the arts and sciences. Andrzej LECH (1550-1623) was a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in Krakow, including the St. Peter and St. Paul Church.

In the 19th century, Walery LECH (1812-1887) was a celebrated Polish poet and playwright. His works often explored themes of patriotism and national identity, reflecting the struggles of the Polish people during the period of foreign partitions.

The LECH surname has also been associated with various place names throughout Poland, such as the village of Lechów in the Małopolska region, and the town of Lechlin in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship.

While the spelling LECH is the most common form, variations such as LIECH and LECH have also been documented in historical records, reflecting regional differences in pronunciation and orthography.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lech

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

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

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

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