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

Lein, 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 Lein surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lein in America

Lein is the 16789th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lein surname appeared 1,701 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 Lein.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lein 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 Lein

The surname Lein originated in Germany and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "lin" or "lein," which means "flax" or "linen." This suggests that the name was originally an occupational surname given to those who grew flax or worked with linen.

The earliest known record of the name Lein can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Sancti Michaelis Bambergensis, a 12th-century manuscript from the Bamberg region of Bavaria. This document mentions a person named Heinricus Lein, indicating the presence of the name in this area during that time period.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Leyn, Leyne, and Leiner in different regions of Germany, including Franconia and Saxony. These variations likely emerged due to regional dialects and spelling variations.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Lein was Johannes Lein (c. 1450-1508), a German theologian and humanist scholar who taught at the University of Erfurt. He was known for his expertise in Greek and Latin literature.

During the 16th century, the name Lein was found in various parts of Germany, including the Rhineland and Swabia. One notable figure from this period was Matthias Lein (1529-1589), a German Lutheran theologian and reformer who served as a court preacher in Stuttgart.

In the 17th century, the name Lein appeared in the records of the town of Steinbach-Hallenberg in Thuringia, where a family with the surname Lein owned a linen weaving business. This further reinforces the connection between the name and the linen industry.

Another prominent individual with the Lein surname was Johann Michael Lein (1670-1725), a German philosopher and mathematician who taught at the University of Giessen. He was known for his contributions to the field of logic and his work on the calculus of variations.

In the 18th century, the name Lein was found in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria and Württemberg. One notable figure from this era was Johann Georg Lein (1717-1792), a German Lutheran theologian and author who served as a pastor in Nuremberg.

Throughout history, the surname Lein has been associated with various occupations related to the cultivation of flax and the production of linen, as well as scholarly and religious pursuits. Although not as widely distributed as some other German surnames, it has maintained a presence in various regions of Germany for several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lein

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

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

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

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