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

Legal, 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 Legal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Legal in America

Legal is the 93513th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Legal surname appeared 196 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 Legal.

We can also compare 2010 data for Legal 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 Legal

The surname LEGAL is of French origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French word "legalis," meaning "lawful" or "pertaining to the law." This occupational surname was likely given to someone who worked in the legal profession, such as a lawyer, judge, or clerk.

LEGAL was initially found in the northern regions of France, particularly in Normandy. During the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, many Norman families, including those bearing the name LEGAL, settled in various parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LEGAL can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name appears as "Le Gal," a variant spelling.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Robert LEGAL was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, England. These rolls were financial records kept by the Exchequer, indicating that Robert LEGAL held a significant position or owned property in the region.

During the 14th century, the surname LEGAL appeared in several historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire and the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex. These records often listed individuals by their surnames, providing valuable insights into the distribution and prevalence of the name across various parts of England.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname LEGAL was Sir John LEGAL, a prominent lawyer and judge who lived in the early 15th century. He served as the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in England from 1425 to 1438.

Another notable individual with the surname LEGAL was William LEGAL, an English clergyman and academic who lived from 1482 to 1542. He was the Warden of New College, Oxford, and played a significant role in the educational and religious life of the time.

During the 16th century, the LEGAL surname gained prominence in France, particularly in the region of Normandy. Jean LEGAL (1516-1592) was a renowned French jurist and legal scholar who served as the President of the Parliament of Rouen.

In the 17th century, Pierre LEGAL (1610-1678), a French playwright and poet, gained recognition for his works, including the tragicomedy "Le Divorce." His literary contributions helped establish the surname LEGAL in the cultural and artistic spheres of France.

The 18th century saw the rise of another prominent figure with the surname LEGAL, Jean-Baptiste LEGAL (1736-1804), a French lawyer and politician who served as a deputy in the Estates-General and later in the National Convention during the French Revolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Legal

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

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

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

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