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

Leiker, 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 Leiker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leiker in America

Leiker is the 14979th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leiker surname appeared 1,973 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Leiker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leiker 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 Leiker

The surname LEIKER has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is believed to have derived from the German word "leiker," which means "licker" or "one who licks." This occupation-based surname was likely given to someone who worked as a baker or confectioner, as they would have licked their fingers or utensils while preparing sweet treats.

In the late 16th century, there are records of a Johann LEIKER residing in the town of Weimar, located in present-day Thuringia, Germany. This is one of the earliest known instances of the surname appearing in historical documents. Interestingly, the town of Weimar was also the birthplace of the renowned German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who lived from 1749 to 1832.

The name LEIKER can also be traced back to the town of Leikers, a small village in the state of Hesse, Germany. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, with individuals taking on the name LEIKER as a way to identify their place of origin.

One notable individual with the surname LEIKER was Johann Friedrich LEIKER, a German painter and engraver who lived from 1639 to 1694. He is known for his religious paintings and engravings, many of which can be found in churches and museums throughout Germany.

Another notable figure was Heinrich LEIKER, a German philosopher and theologian who lived from 1701 to 1768. He was a prominent figure in the Enlightenment movement and wrote extensively on topics such as reason, morality, and religion.

In the 19th century, a family by the name of LEIKER emigrated from Germany to the United States, settling in the state of Kansas. This branch of the LEIKER family played a significant role in the development of the region, with several members becoming successful farmers and landowners.

One such individual was Wilhelm LEIKER, born in 1842 in Germany and later immigrating to Kansas in the late 1860s. He established a successful farming operation and was instrumental in the growth of the local community.

As the name LEIKER spread across Germany and eventually to other parts of the world, various spelling variations emerged, including LEIKER, LEYKER, and LEIKHER. However, the core meaning and origin of the surname remained rooted in its German heritage and occupation-based origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leiker

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

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

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

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