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

Lener, 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 Lener surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lener in America

Lener is the 99378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lener surname appeared 182 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 Lener.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lener 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 Lener

The surname Lener is believed to have originated in Germany, likely during the Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the German word "lehner," which refers to a tenant farmer or someone who held land on a leasehold basis. This would suggest that the earliest bearers of the name were likely associated with agricultural pursuits and the leasing of farmland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the town of Lüneburg, located in the northern German state of Lower Saxony. Historical records from the 14th century mention a certain Johannes Lener, who was a prominent landowner and farmer in the region.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Lehner, Lehnert, and Lenert. These variations often reflected local dialects and linguistic influences.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various municipal records and chronicles, particularly in the areas around the cities of Nuremberg and Regensburg in Bavaria. Notable figures from this period include Hans Lener, a respected craftsman and member of the Nuremberg guild of blacksmiths, who lived from 1520 to 1587.

The surname Lener also found its way into other European countries, likely through migration and trade routes. In the Netherlands, for instance, records from the 17th century mention a certain Willem Lener, a merchant and trader from Amsterdam, who was born in 1642 and died in 1712.

In the 19th century, the name gained prominence in the United States, as German immigrants sought new opportunities in the rapidly expanding nation. One notable American bearer of the name was John Lener, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Philadelphia, who lived from 1825 to 1901 and made significant contributions to the city's cultural and educational institutions.

Other notable individuals with the surname Lener include Friedrich Lener, a German composer and music educator who lived from 1870 to 1942, and Karl Lener, an Austrian author and playwright born in 1884, whose works explored themes of social injustice and class struggles.

While the surname Lener is not among the most common in the world today, its rich history and diverse geographical spread underscore its enduring legacy and the fascinating stories behind its origins and evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lener

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

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

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

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