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

Lek, 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 Lek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lek in America

Lek is the 76029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lek surname appeared 253 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lek.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lek 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 Lek

The surname LEK has its origins in Poland, where it first appeared in the early 15th century. It is derived from the Old Polish word "lek," which means "physician" or "healer." The name likely referred to someone who practiced medicine or provided healing services in their local community.

One of the earliest known references to the surname LEK can be found in the records of the city of Krakow, dating back to the year 1420. These records mention a certain Jakub LEK, who was a respected physician and apothecary in the city.

Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, the LEK surname spread across various regions of Poland, particularly in the areas around Krakow, Warsaw, and Poznan. It was often associated with families involved in the medical profession or those who had ties to the healthcare industry.

In the 17th century, the LEK surname gained prominence when Jan LEK (1598-1672) became a renowned mathematician and astronomer. He served as the royal astronomer for King Sigismund III of Poland and made significant contributions to the field of astronomy during his lifetime.

Another notable bearer of the LEK surname was Stanislaw LEK (1701-1778), a Polish nobleman and military leader who played a crucial role in the defense of Poland during the wars against Russia and Prussia in the mid-18th century.

During the 19th century, the LEK surname continued to be prevalent in Poland, with several individuals bearing this name making their mark in various fields. For instance, Wlodzimierz LEK (1828-1899) was a renowned Polish painter and art educator who helped shape the artistic landscape of his time.

One of the most famous individuals with the LEK surname was Maria LEK (1875-1954), a Polish feminist and activist who fought tirelessly for women's rights and equality. She was instrumental in establishing organizations that advocated for women's suffrage and educational opportunities in Poland.

It is worth noting that while the LEK surname is predominantly Polish in origin, it has also been found in other countries, particularly those with significant Polish communities or those with historical ties to Poland, such as Lithuania, Belarus, and Ukraine.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lek

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

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

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

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