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

Leif, 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 Leif surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leif in America

Leif is the 50771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leif surname appeared 411 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 Leif.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leif 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 Leif

The surname LEIF is of Scandinavian origin, specifically Norwegian. It emerged in the Viking Age, around the 8th to 11th centuries. The name is derived from the Old Norse word "leifr", meaning "descendant" or "heir". It is believed to have been initially used as a nickname or byname for a son or male heir.

LEIF was a relatively common name among the Vikings and can be found in various Old Norse texts and sagas. One of the most notable historical figures bearing this name was Leif Erikson, the Norse explorer who is credited with being the first European to discover North America around the year 1000 CE, nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

In the Vinland Sagas, which are medieval Icelandic texts documenting the Norse exploration of North America, Leif Erikson is referred to as "Leifr hinn Heppni" or "Leif the Lucky". This moniker was likely given to him due to his successful journey to the newfound lands, which were initially called "Vinland" by the Norse.

Another notable figure in history with the surname LEIF was Leif Halvorsen, a Norwegian aviator who lived from 1892 to 1935. He was a pioneering figure in the early days of aviation and was instrumental in establishing air routes and services in Norway.

The name LEIF can also be found in various place names throughout Scandinavia, further indicating its historical prevalence in the region. For example, the town of Leifstad in Norway and the island of Leifsbudir in Iceland both derive their names from individuals bearing the surname LEIF.

While the name has its roots in Old Norse, it has also been adopted and adapted in other Scandinavian languages over time. In Danish, for instance, the spelling "Leif" is more common, while in Swedish, it is often spelled as "Leiv".

Throughout history, the surname LEIF has been borne by many notable individuals, including Leif Terdal, a Norwegian author and politician who lived from 1890 to 1965, and Leif Roar Leer, a Norwegian diplomat and politician who served as the Mayor of Oslo from 1986 to 1997.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leif

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

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

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

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