2000
#5,760
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,505
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.04
Uncommon Last name
Leiva
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Leiva, referring to someone from the town of Leiva, Spain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 10,384 Americans carry the last name Leiva. That puts it at #3,820 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 33,008 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leiva 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
10K
1 in 33,008
Census rank
#3,820
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
9.1K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 9,055 bearers of the surname Leiva in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3820th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leiva, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.2%) and Black (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leiva
The surname LEIVA is of Spanish origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Latin word "leva," which means "smooth" or "polished." It may have originated as a descriptive surname for someone who was known for their smooth or polished appearance or demeanor.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname LEIVA can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in the regions of Andalusia and Murcia, located in southern Spain. Some of the earliest records of the name appear in municipal records and tax rolls from these areas.
One notable historical reference to the surname LEIVA can be found in the "Libro de la Montería," a 14th-century manuscript that details the hunting exploits of King Alfonso XI of Castile. The book mentions a Juan de Leiva, who was a nobleman and hunting companion of the king.
In the 15th century, the LEIVA surname gained prominence with the rise of Sancho Martínez de Leiva (1501-1567), a Spanish military commander who served under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. He was renowned for his victories in the Italian Wars and is considered one of the greatest military leaders of his time.
Another notable figure with the LEIVA surname was Diego de Leiva (1530-1613), a Spanish diplomat and ambassador to the Holy See during the reign of Philip II. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Peace of Vervins in 1598, which ended the long-running war between France and Spain.
In the 17th century, Pedro de Leiva y Zúñiga (1608-1676) was a Spanish nobleman and military officer who served as the Governor of Galicia and later as the Viceroy of Valencia. He was known for his efforts in fortifying the coastal defenses of these regions against foreign threats.
During the 18th century, Juan Manuel de Leiva (1735-1810) was a prominent Spanish naval officer who participated in several important battles during the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the Spanish Navy and was awarded numerous honors for his distinguished service.
Throughout history, the LEIVA surname has also been associated with various place names and variations in spelling. For example, the town of Leiva in the province of Navarra, Spain, may have derived its name from the surname, or vice versa. Additionally, variations such as Leyva, Lieva, and Leva have been recorded in historical documents.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leiva
Among Census respondents with the surname Leiva, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.2%) and Black (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Leiva 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 Leiva surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.2% · 8,351
- White6.2% · 557
- Black or African American0.7% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 46
- Two or more races0.4% · 32
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leiva
Leiva 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
#4,335
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,193
+2,688 bearers (+48.8%)
Per 100,000 2.78
Rank movement Up 1,425 places
2020
#3,820
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 9,055
+862 bearers (+10.5%)
Per 100,000 3.03
Rank movement Up 515 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,760 | 5,505 | 2.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,335 | 8,193 | 2.78 | +2,688 bearers (+48.8%) | Up 1,425 places |
| 2020 | #3,820 | 9,055 | 3.03 | +862 bearers (+10.5%) | Up 515 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 Leiva 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 | #4,335 | #3,820 | 11.9% |
| Count | 8,193 | 9,055 | 10.5% |
| Per 100K | 2.78 | 3.03 | 9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leiva bearers went from 8,193 to 9,055 (+10.5% change). The surname moved up 515 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,335 to #3,820.
FAQ
Leiva surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leiva?
Name Census estimates that about 10,384 living Americans carry the surname Leiva. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 33,008 residents.
How common is Leiva?
Leiva ranks #3,820 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 9,055 people with the surname Leiva. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (10,384), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Leiva.
Has Leiva become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leiva went from 8,193 recorded bearers to 9,055. That is an increase of 862 (+10.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #4,335 to #3,820.
What does the Census say about the background of Leiva?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leiva, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.2%. The next largest groups are White (6.2%) and Black (0.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Leiva in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (8,351 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leiva appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.2%), White (6.2%), Black (0.7%). 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 Leiva (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 Leiva mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the place name Leiva, referring to someone from the town of Leiva, Spain. 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 Leiva (3.03 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 have the last name Leiva?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Leiva on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.