2000
#135,837
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lekki
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "thin" or "slim" in a Slavic language.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Lekki. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lekki 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Lekki in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lekki, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lekki
The surname "Lekki" is of Polish origin, with its roots traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the old Polish word "lekki," which means "light" or "nimble." This surname was likely given to someone known for their agility or lightness of movement.
During the medieval period, the name Lekki was predominantly found in the regions of Lesser Poland and Masovia, where it was commonly associated with families of nobility or gentry. Some of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in historical documents and records from these regions.
One of the earliest known references to the Lekki name appears in the 1598 "Metryka Koronna," a collection of Polish Crown records. This document mentions a nobleman named Jan Lekki, who held land in the village of Trzebiesławice near Krakow.
In the 17th century, the Lekki surname gained more prominence, and several notable individuals bore this name. One such figure was Stanisław Lekki (1610-1678), a Polish military commander who served in the Polish-Swedish wars and was renowned for his tactical skills on the battlefield.
Another historical figure of note was Franciszek Lekki (1755-1829), a Polish painter and artist who is considered one of the pioneers of the Polish Romantic movement in art. His works, which often depicted scenes from Polish history and folklore, are celebrated for their vivid colors and attention to detail.
In the 19th century, the Lekki surname was also found in other parts of Europe, including Germany and Austria. One example is Karl Lekki (1824-1901), a German-born entrepreneur and industrialist who made significant contributions to the development of the coal mining industry in Silesia.
Another notable individual was Józef Lekki (1876-1952), a Polish writer and journalist who was actively involved in the struggle for Polish independence. His works, which often dealt with themes of patriotism and national identity, played a significant role in shaping public opinion during the turbulent years leading up to Poland's regaining of independence in 1918.
While the surname Lekki is not among the most common in Poland today, it continues to be carried by families with deep historical roots in the country. The name's origins and evolution reflect the rich cultural heritage of Poland, making it a fascinating subject for genealogical and onomastic studies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lekki
Among Census respondents with the surname Lekki, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Lekki 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 Lekki surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 117
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lekki
Lekki 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-10 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,207 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+13 bearers (+12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 11,774 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #135,837 | 114 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 20,207 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+12.5%) | Up 11,774 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 Lekki 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 | #156,044 | #144,270 | 7.5% |
| Count | 104 | 117 | 12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lekki bearers went from 104 to 117 (+12.5% change). The surname moved up 11,774 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #144,270.
FAQ
Lekki surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lekki?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Lekki. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Lekki?
Lekki ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Lekki. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Lekki.
Has Lekki become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lekki went from 104 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 13 (+12.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Lekki?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lekki, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Lekki in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (117 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lekki appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Lekki (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 Lekki mean?
A surname of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "thin" or "slim" in a Slavic language. 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 Lekki (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 Lekki?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.