2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Leih
A variant spelling of the German surname Leih, meaning "tenant farmer".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Leih. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leih 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Leih in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leih, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leih
The surname "LEIH" is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "leah," which means a meadow or a clearing in a forest. This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname for someone who lived near a meadow or a clearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "LEIH" can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a detailed survey of land ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, such as "Leia," "Ley," and "Lea," reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period.
During the 13th century, the surname "LEIH" started to appear more frequently in historical records, particularly in areas such as Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire. This could indicate that the name was more prevalent in these regions or that it may have originated from a specific place name incorporating the word "leah."
Notable individuals with the surname "LEIH" throughout history include:
1. Sir Walter Leih (c. 1460 - 1521), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.
2. Margaret Leih (c. 1540 - 1612), an English writer and translator who is known for her translations of religious texts and her correspondence with prominent figures of the time.
3. John Leih (c. 1580 - 1648), an English composer and organist who served as the organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, during the reign of King Charles I.
4. Thomas Leih (c. 1620 - 1690), an English clergyman and author who wrote extensively on theological subjects and was a prominent figure in the Church of England during the 17th century.
5. Elizabeth Leih (c. 1670 - 1736), an English poet and playwright who was known for her satirical works and her contributions to the development of English literature during the Restoration period.
It's worth noting that some variations of the surname "LEIH" may have emerged from different linguistic roots or place names, leading to alternative origins and histories. However, the information provided here focuses specifically on the surname "LEIH" and its potential English origins and historical references.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leih
Among Census respondents with the surname Leih, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Leih 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 Leih surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 105
- Black or African American3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.5% · 3
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leih
Leih 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+19 bearers (+18.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,100 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-2 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,283 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+18.8%) | Up 10,100 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 4,283 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 Leih 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 | #139,228 | #143,511 | -3.1% |
| Count | 120 | 118 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leih bearers went from 120 to 118 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 4,283 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #143,511.
FAQ
Leih surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leih?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Leih. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Leih?
Leih ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Leih. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Leih.
Has Leih become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leih went from 120 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Leih?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leih, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Leih in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leih appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Black (3.4%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Leih (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 Leih mean?
A variant spelling of the German surname Leih, meaning "tenant farmer". 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 Leih (0.04 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 many Americans have the surname Leih?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.