2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Leinfelder
A surname denoting someone from the region of Leinfelden in Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Leinfelder. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leinfelder 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Leinfelder in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leinfelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leinfelder
The surname LEINFELDER is of German origin, originating in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe during the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from the Middle High German words "lin" meaning "flax" and "felder" meaning "fields," suggesting a connection to the cultivation of flax or occupation as a linen weaver.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the LEINFELDER surname dates back to the 14th century in the region of Saxony, where it appeared in various spellings such as Leynfelder, Leinfelder, and Leinfelter. This variation in spelling was common during that era due to the lack of standardized orthography.
The LEINFELDER name can be traced back to several notable individuals throughout history. In the 16th century, Hans LEINFELDER (1520-1588) was a prominent linen merchant and guild member in the city of Leipzig. His son, Johann LEINFELDER (1562-1631), followed in his footsteps and became a respected linen trader.
In the 18th century, the LEINFELDER surname gained prominence with the birth of Johann Gottfried LEINFELDER (1715-1788), a renowned German theologian and philosopher. His literary works and teachings significantly influenced the intellectual landscape of his time.
Another notable figure was Friedrich Wilhelm LEINFELDER (1801-1876), a German architect and urban planner. He was responsible for designing several iconic buildings and contributing to the development of various cities in the region.
During the 19th century, the LEINFELDER family produced several accomplished individuals, including Karl LEINFELDER (1832-1911), a renowned botanist and horticulturist who made significant contributions to the study of plant species.
It is worth noting that the LEINFELDER surname has been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Leinfeld, Leinfeldern, and Leinfelden, which further reinforces the connection between the name and the cultivation of flax.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leinfelder
Among Census respondents with the surname Leinfelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Leinfelder 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 Leinfelder surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.9% · 116
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
- Two or more races0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leinfelder
Leinfelder appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
+8 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,892 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.1%) | Up 4,892 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 Leinfelder 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 | #146,201 | #141,309 | 3.3% |
| Count | 113 | 121 | 7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leinfelder bearers went from 113 to 121 (+7.1% change). The surname moved up 4,892 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #141,309.
FAQ
Leinfelder surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leinfelder?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Leinfelder. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Leinfelder?
Leinfelder ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Leinfelder. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Leinfelder.
Has Leinfelder become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leinfelder went from 113 recorded bearers to 121. That is an increase of 8 (+7.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Leinfelder?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leinfelder, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Leinfelder in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.9% (116 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leinfelder appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Leinfelder (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 Leinfelder mean?
A surname denoting someone from the region of Leinfelden in Germany. 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 Leinfelder (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 people share the surname Leinfelder?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.