2000
#122,534
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Leli
An obsolete French surname potentially derived from the Germanic name Leodel.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Leli. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leli 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Leli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leli, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leli
The surname LELI has its origins in Italy, with the earliest recorded instances dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Latin word "laelus," which means "joyful" or "happy." The name was initially found in various regions of central and northern Italy, particularly in the areas around Rome, Florence, and Milan.
One of the earliest known references to the LELI surname can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Siena, where a merchant named Giacomo LELI is mentioned as being involved in the local trade guilds. Another early record comes from a 15th-century tax registry in the city of Pisa, where a family by the name of LELI is listed as landowners.
During the Renaissance period, the LELI name gained prominence in artistic circles. Notably, Francesco LELI (1563-1627) was a renowned painter from Bologna, known for his religious works and portraiture. His pieces can be found in various churches and galleries throughout Italy.
In the 17th century, the LELI surname appears in the records of the Papal States, with several individuals holding positions within the Catholic Church. One such figure was Cardinal Giulio LELI (1612-1687), who served as a diplomat and advisor to Pope Innocent XI.
As the LELI name spread throughout Italy, it also found its way into other parts of Europe. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in France, where they adopted the spelling "Lelly." One notable member of this branch was Jacques Lelly (1735-1801), a French military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War alongside the Marquis de Lafayette.
In the 19th century, the LELI surname gained recognition in the field of literature. Giuseppe LELI (1818-1892) was an Italian poet and playwright from Naples, whose works often explored themes of love and patriotism. His most famous work, "La Sirena di Napoli," remains a celebrated part of the city's cultural heritage.
Throughout its history, the LELI surname has been associated with various professions, from merchants and artists to military personnel and clergy members. While its origins may be rooted in the joyful meaning of its Latin root, the name has left an indelible mark across different aspects of Italian and European history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leli
Among Census respondents with the surname Leli, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Leli 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 Leli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Leli
Leli 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-15 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,607 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+5 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,092 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #122,534 | 130 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 21,607 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.3%) | Up 2,092 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 Leli 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 | #144,141 | #142,049 | 1.5% |
| Count | 115 | 120 | 4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Leli bearers went from 115 to 120 (+4.3% change). The surname moved up 2,092 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #142,049.
FAQ
Leli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Leli?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Leli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Leli?
Leli ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Leli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Leli.
Has Leli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Leli went from 115 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 5 (+4.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #144,141 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Leli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leli, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Black (1.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Leli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Leli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Hispanic (4.2%), Black (1.7%). 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 Leli (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 Leli mean?
An obsolete French surname potentially derived from the Germanic name Leodel. 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 Leli (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 Leli?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.