Leetch
An English topographical surname referring to someone living near a public path or roadway.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 514 Americans carry the last name Leetch. That puts it at #48,800 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.15 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 666,837 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leetch surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
514
1 in 666,837
Census rank
#48,800
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
432
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 432 bearers of the surname Leetch in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48800th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leetch, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leetch
The surname Leetch is believed to have originated in Scotland, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 16th century. It is likely derived from the Old English word "leac," meaning "leek," suggesting that the name may have initially been an occupational surname for a leek farmer or seller.
One of the earliest known references to the name Leetch can be found in the Scottish Episcopal Church records from the late 16th century, where several individuals with variations of the spelling, such as Leitch, Leech, and Leitche, are mentioned.
In the 17th century, the surname Leetch began to appear in various Scottish parish records and legal documents, often associated with the areas around Glasgow, Lanarkshire, and the Scottish Borders. The name may have connections to specific places like Leith, a historic town near Edinburgh, or Leitholm, a village in the Scottish Borders.
Notable bearers of the surname Leetch include William Leitch (1610-1679), a Scottish minister and author who served as the Principal of King's College, Aberdeen. Another prominent figure was Sir John Leetch (1733-1816), a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1789 to 1791.
In the 19th century, the Leetch surname spread beyond Scotland, with many individuals emigrating to other parts of the United Kingdom, as well as to North America and Australia. One notable bearer was Alexander Leitch (1825-1892), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Melbourne, Australia.
Another notable individual was James Leetch (1844-1925), a Scottish-born civil engineer who worked on various railway projects in India and was awarded the prestigious Telford Medal by the Institution of Civil Engineers in 1908.
As the name spread across different regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Leitch, Leitche, and Leach, reflecting regional dialects and linguistic influences.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leetch
Among Census respondents with the surname Leetch, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Leetch bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Leetch surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8%
- Hispanic or Latino3.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.6%
- Two or more races1.4%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Leetch surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #48,800 | #48,800 | 0.0% |
| Count | 432 | 432 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Leetch bearers went from 432 to 432 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #48,800 to #48,800.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Leetch
FAQ
Leetch surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Leetch?
The surname Leetch holds position #48,800 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 514 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.15 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Leetch surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leetch, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.6%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.