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

Lefthand, 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 Lefthand surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lefthand in America

Lefthand is the 69793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lefthand surname appeared 281 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 Lefthand.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lefthand 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 Lefthand

The surname LEFTHAND is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to have originated as a descriptive nickname, referring to an individual who was left-handed or favored the use of their left hand in various tasks and occupations.

In those times, left-handedness was often viewed with suspicion and considered somewhat unnatural, leading to the adoption of such nicknames to distinguish those who exhibited this trait. The surname itself is thought to have evolved from the Old English words 'lyft' or 'left' and 'hand,' which combined to form the literal description of 'left hand.'

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LEFTHAND can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, dated around 1379, where a certain William Lefthande is mentioned. This document provides evidence of the surname's existence and usage during the late medieval period.

In the 16th century, the surname appears in various records, such as the Parish Registers of St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London, where a baptism of John Lefthand was recorded in 1560. This entry demonstrates the continued use and adaptation of the surname over time.

Historically, the surname LEFTHAND was particularly prevalent in certain regions of England, such as Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and parts of the West Midlands. It is also worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Lefthande, Lefthond, and Lefthond, were common during the early stages of surname adoption.

Notable individuals who bore the surname LEFTHAND include Sir Richard Lefthand (c. 1495-1560), a prominent merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1554. Another notable figure was Thomas Lefthand (1618-1687), a member of the English Parliament and a supporter of the Parliamentarian cause during the English Civil War.

Other individuals of note include Mary Lefthand (1670-1732), a renowned midwife and herbalist from Lincolnshire, and John Lefthand (1752-1823), a skilled clockmaker from Yorkshire whose intricate timepieces were highly sought after in his era.

The surname LEFTHAND also found its way into literature and folklore, with references to characters bearing this name appearing in various works, further solidifying its place in English cultural history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lefthand

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

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

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

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