Leffall
A variant of the English locational surname referring to someone from the French town of Lefaux.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 411 Americans carry the last name Leffall. That puts it at #58,735 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 833,952 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leffall 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
411
1 in 833,952
Census rank
#58,735
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
345
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 345 bearers of the surname Leffall in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 58735th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leffall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leffall
The surname Leffall has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, likely in the 12th or 13th century. The name's etymology can be traced back to the Old French words "le fal," which translates to "the hill" or "the mound."
This surname was initially used as a locational name, referring to individuals who resided near or on a particular hill or mound. It is possible that the earliest bearers of this name lived in close proximity to a prominent geographical feature bearing this description, hence the surname's derivation.
While no records definitively mention the Leffall surname in ancient manuscripts like the Domesday Book, it is worth noting that similar variations, such as Lefalle and Leffalle, have been documented in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in northern France.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Leffall was Pierre Leffall, a merchant from the town of Calais, who lived during the late 14th century. Another notable figure was Jean Leffall, a vintner from the Champagne region, who was born around 1420 and gained recognition for his exceptional wine-making skills.
In the 16th century, the Leffall name emerged in the region of Normandy, where a family of landowners bearing this surname was documented. One prominent member was Guillaume Leffall, born in 1542, who served as a magistrate in the city of Rouen.
During the 17th century, a branch of the Leffall family migrated to the French colony of Acadia, now known as modern-day Nova Scotia, Canada. One of the earliest settlers was René Leffall, who arrived in Port-Royal in 1638 and became a successful farmer and fisherman.
Another notable individual was Marie Leffall, born in 1672 in the town of Angers, who achieved recognition as a skilled weaver and textile artisan. Her intricate tapestries adorned many noble households in France during that era.
As the centuries progressed, the Leffall surname continued to be represented across various regions of France, with individuals from this lineage contributing to various fields, including the arts, literature, and academia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leffall
Among Census respondents with the surname Leffall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Leffall 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 Leffall surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American90.1%
- Two or more races4.3%
- Hispanic or Latino2.6%
- White2.0%
- Unknown or suppressed0.9%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Leffall 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 | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #57,985 | #58,735 | -1.3% |
| Count | 328 | 345 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.12 | 0.0% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Leffall bearers went from 328 to 345 (+5.2% change). The surname moved down 750 positions in the national ranking, going from #57,985 to #58,735.
FAQ
Leffall surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Leffall?
The surname Leffall holds position #58,735 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 411 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Leffall surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leffall, the largest self-reported group is Black at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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.