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

Leigey, 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 Leigey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leigey in America

Leigey is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leigey surname appeared 131 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 Leigey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leigey 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 Leigey

The surname LEIGEY originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, likely in the late medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "leichgau," which referred to a small administrative district or county. This suggests that the name may have been associated with someone who lived in or governed such a district.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LEIGEY appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the region of Saxony, where a certain Henrich Leigey is mentioned as a landowner. There are also references to a family with the name Leigey in the town records of Wittenberg, dating back to the early 16th century.

Variations of the spelling, such as "Leighey" and "Leichey," can be found in historical documents from various parts of Germany, as well as in areas of present-day Austria and Switzerland. This indicates that the name may have spread and taken root in different regions over time.

A notable figure with the surname LEIGEY was Johann Leigey (1523-1590), a Protestant reformer and theologian from the city of Wittenberg. He was a close associate of Martin Luther and played a significant role in the Reformation movement.

Another individual of historical note was Katharina Leigey (1562-1625), a German midwife and herbalist who was renowned for her expertise in traditional medicine and midwifery practices. Her treatise on childbirth and maternal care, published in 1598, was widely influential in its time.

In the 17th century, a family by the name of Leigey settled in the German-speaking regions of present-day Russia, near the city of Volgograd. This branch of the family produced several notable figures, including Philipp Leigey (1672-1745), a prominent merchant and landowner.

The LEIGEY surname also appears in historical records from the Netherlands, where a certain Dirk Leigey (1689-1758) was a respected engraver and printmaker based in Amsterdam. His intricate etchings and engravings were highly sought after by collectors and art patrons of the time.

Finally, in the 19th century, a German immigrant named Friedrich Leigey (1814-1882) made his way to the United States, settling in the state of Pennsylvania. He established a successful farming operation and became a respected member of the local community.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leigey

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

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

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

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