Lehtonen
A Finnish surname meaning someone from a birch grove or wooded area.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 446 Americans carry the last name Lehtonen. That puts it at #53,204 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 768,507 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lehtonen 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
446
1 in 768,507
Census rank
#53,204
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
389
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 389 bearers of the surname Lehtonen in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 53204th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lehtonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lehtonen
The surname Lehtonen is of Finnish origin and dates back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Finnish word "lehto", which means a grove or a small forest. The name likely originated as a topographic surname, given to someone who lived near or in a small forested area.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lehtonen can be found in parish records from Finland in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was particularly common in the regions of Häme, Satakunta, and Uusimaa, which were densely forested areas at the time.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Yrjö Lehtonen, a farmer who lived in the village of Renko in the province of Häme in the late 16th century. Another early figure was Heikki Lehtonen, a merchant from Turku who was mentioned in trade records from the early 17th century.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the surname Lehtonen became more widespread across Finland as families migrated to new areas. Notable individuals with this name include the Finnish writer and poet Joel Lehtonen (1881-1934), who was known for his works exploring themes of Finnish identity and rural life.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Yrjö Lehtonen (1897-1966), a Finnish journalist and politician who served as a member of the Finnish parliament and was actively involved in the workers' movement.
In the 20th century, Mauno Lehtonen (1920-2002) was a Finnish artist and sculptor known for his abstract works and sculptures in public spaces. Risto Lehtonen (1945-2008) was a Finnish actor and director who appeared in numerous films and television shows throughout his career.
The surname Lehtonen continues to be common in Finland today, with many families tracing their roots back to these earlier bearers of the name from different regions of the country.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lehtonen
Among Census respondents with the surname Lehtonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Lehtonen 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 Lehtonen surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.1%
- Hispanic or Latino3.1%
- Two or more races2.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lehtonen 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 | #53,204 | #53,204 | 0.0% |
| Count | 389 | 389 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Lehtonen bearers went from 389 to 389 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #53,204 to #53,204.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lehtonen
FAQ
Lehtonen surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lehtonen?
The surname Lehtonen holds position #53,204 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 446 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lehtonen surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lehtonen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.1%). 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.