2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Leigeber
A German surname derived from a place name related to clay or loam.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Leigeber. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leigeber surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Leigeber in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leigeber, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leigeber
The surname LEIGEBER is of German origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where many early recordings of the name can be found.
One of the earliest known mentions of the LEIGEBER name appears in a 14th-century document from the town of Augsburg, referring to a certain Johannes Leigeber. This suggests that the name was already established in the area at that time.
The name itself is thought to be derived from the Old German words "leige" and "ber," which together could mean "one who resides near a meadow" or "one from the meadow." This etymological connection points to the surname's potential origins among families living in rural or agricultural communities.
In the 15th century, a notable figure named Hans LEIGEBER (c. 1420-1492) was recorded as a respected craftsman and member of the Augsburg guild of goldsmiths. His legacy as a skilled artisan contributed to the reputation of the LEIGEBER name in the region.
During the 16th century, the LEIGEBER family appears to have expanded their presence beyond Bavaria, with records indicating members in various parts of southern Germany. One such individual was Jakob LEIGEBER (1549-1615), a scholar and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Tübingen.
Another prominent bearer of the LEIGEBER name was Johann Georg LEIGEBER (1675-1744), a German composer and organist active in the early 18th century. His works, though not widely renowned today, were influential in the musical circles of his time.
As the surname spread further across Germany in the following centuries, it also found its way into neighboring regions and countries. By the 19th century, instances of the LEIGEBER name can be traced to areas such as Switzerland and Austria, likely due to migration and intermarriage.
One notable 19th-century figure was Wilhelm LEIGEBER (1811-1887), a German botanist and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of plant life in his native region of Bavaria. His extensive collections and research work helped establish him as a respected authority in his field.
While the LEIGEBER surname may not be among the most widespread or well-known today, its rich history and deep roots in German culture and tradition are evident from the various notable individuals who have borne this name over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leigeber
Among Census respondents with the surname Leigeber, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Leigeber bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Leigeber surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.0% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leigeber
Leigeber appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,303 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-17 bearers (-14.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,130 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 5,303 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -17 bearers (-14.4%) | Down 14,130 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Leigeber surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #141,140 | #155,270 | -10.0% |
| Count | 118 | 101 | -14.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leigeber bearers went from 118 to 101 (-14.4% change). The surname moved down 14,130 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #155,270.
FAQ
Leigeber surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leigeber?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Leigeber. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Leigeber?
Leigeber ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Leigeber. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Leigeber.
Has Leigeber become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leigeber went from 118 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 17 (-14.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Leigeber?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leigeber, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Leigeber in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.0% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leigeber appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.0%), Hispanic (2.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Leigeber (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Leigeber mean?
A German surname derived from a place name related to clay or loam. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Leigeber (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Leigeber?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Leigeber on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.