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

Len, 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 Len surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Len in America

Len is the 24499th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Len surname appeared 1,021 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 Len.

We can also compare 2010 data for Len 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 Len

The surname "LEN" is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 12th century. It is thought to be a shortened or contracted form of the Old English personal name "Leofwin," which means "dear friend."

In the Domesday Book of 1086, the earliest recorded mention of the name can be found in the form of "Levenot," which is believed to be a variant spelling of the name. This entry was recorded in the county of Norfolk.

During the Middle Ages, the name was also recorded in various spellings, such as "Leven," "Levenot," and "Levyn." These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname "LEN" was William Len, who was a landowner in the county of Essex in the 13th century. Records from this period also show the name "Len" in relation to place names, such as "Lenham" in Kent and "Lenton" in Nottinghamshire.

In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was John Len, a merchant from London who was mentioned in the city's records for his involvement in trade with the Low Countries.

During the Tudor period, the surname "LEN" was borne by several notable individuals, including Sir John Len (1470-1545), who served as a Member of Parliament and was knighted for his services to King Henry VIII.

In the 17th century, a prominent figure with the surname "LEN" was Sir John Len (1600-1672), who was a renowned English judge and legal scholar. He served as a Justice of the Court of King's Bench and authored several influential legal treatises.

Another notable bearer of the name was Sampson Len (1655-1719), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Headmaster of Eton College and later became the Bishop of Norwich.

Throughout history, the surname "LEN" has been associated with various professions, including landowners, merchants, lawyers, and members of the clergy. While the name has evolved in spelling over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English personal name "Leofwin."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Len

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

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

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

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