2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lennear
A surname with possible origins as a locational name referring to a geographic area or settlement.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Lennear. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lennear 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Lennear in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lennear, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Hispanic (6.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lennear
The surname LENNEAR is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a variant of the place name Lennard, which is derived from the Old English words "lēan" meaning "lean" or "thin" and "ard" meaning "high ground" or "ridge." This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived near a thin or lean ridge.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LENNEAR can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex from the 13th century, where it appears as "Lenard." This indicates that the name was already in use by this time and may have been associated with a particular location or landholding.
During the 14th century, the name LENNEAR appears in various historical records, including the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire, where it is spelled "Lenard" and "Lenarde." This suggests that the name had spread to different regions of England and may have been subject to slight variations in spelling.
In the 15th century, the name LENNEAR appears in the Feet of Fines for Essex, where it is recorded as "Lenard" and "Lener." This record provides evidence of land transactions involving individuals with this surname, further solidifying its presence in England.
One notable figure with the surname LENNEAR was John Lennear (c. 1550-1621), a merchant and alderman of London in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers and served as a Sheriff of London in 1610.
Another individual of historical significance was Thomas Lennear (c. 1630-1692), an English clergyman who served as the Archdeacon of Northampton in the late 17th century. He was known for his scholarly works on theology and church history.
In the 18th century, the name LENNEAR appears in various parish records and genealogical sources, including the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Nottingham, where the name is spelled "Lenner" in 1745.
One notable figure from this period was William Lennear (1725-1801), a wealthy landowner and magistrate in Hertfordshire. He was known for his philanthropic efforts and his support of local educational institutions.
In the 19th century, the name LENNEAR continued to be present in various records, including the census returns for Warwickshire in 1841, where it appears as "Lenner" and "Lennear."
One prominent individual from this time was Elizabeth Lennear (1810-1892), a British author and poet who published several works under the pen name "E.L." Her writings often explored themes of nature and spirituality.
Overall, the surname LENNEAR has a rich history spanning several centuries in England, with evidence of its presence in various regions and records. While the exact origin and meaning may be subject to interpretation, it remains a significant part of the country's onomastic heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lennear
Among Census respondents with the surname Lennear, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Hispanic (6.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Lennear 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 Lennear surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American79.3% · 88
- White8.1% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino6.3% · 7
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lennear
Lennear appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 7,379 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 Lennear 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 | #148,665 | 4.7% |
| Count | 104 | 111 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lennear bearers went from 104 to 111 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 7,379 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #148,665.
FAQ
Lennear surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lennear?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Lennear. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Lennear?
Lennear ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Lennear. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Lennear.
Has Lennear become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lennear went from 104 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Lennear?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lennear, the largest self-reported group is Black at 79.3%. The next largest groups are White (8.1%) and Hispanic (6.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lennear in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.3% (88 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lennear appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (79.3%), White (8.1%), Hispanic (6.3%). 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 Lennear (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 Lennear mean?
A surname with possible origins as a locational name referring to a geographic area or settlement. 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 Lennear (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 are called Lennear?
If you just want to know how many people are called Lennear, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.