Leonardi
A surname derived from the Italian personal name Leonardo.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,125 Americans carry the last name Leonardi. That puts it at #15,864 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,296 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Leonardi surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
2.1K
1 in 161,296
Census rank
#15,864
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,834 bearers of the surname Leonardi in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15864th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Leonardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Leonardi
The surname Leonardi originated in Italy during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Italian word "leone," meaning lion, and the Latin suffix "-ardi," which denotes a family or clan. The name likely referred to a family that had a lion on their coat of arms or were associated with a place name containing the word "leone."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Leonardi can be found in the Codice Diplomatico Longobardo, a collection of historical documents from the Lombard period in Italy (568-774 AD). In this collection, a certain "Petrus Leonardi" is mentioned as a witness to a legal transaction in the year 732.
During the 13th century, the name Leonardi appears in various Italian municipal records, such as the Estimo di Firenze (Florentine Tax Records) of 1269, where a "Bindo Leonardi" is listed as a taxpayer. This suggests that the name was well-established in cities like Florence by this time.
In the 14th century, a notable bearer of the name was Ser Piero Leonardi, a Florentine notary and chronicler who lived from 1315 to 1397. His writings provide valuable insights into the political and social climate of his time.
The name Leonardi has also been associated with several notable figures in the arts and sciences throughout history. For instance, Giovanni Leonardi (1541-1609) was an Italian Catholic priest and the founder of the Clerks Regular of the Mother of God. He was canonized as a saint in 1726.
Another prominent Leonardi was Giuseppe Leonardi (1768-1842), an Italian mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the field of celestial mechanics. He was a member of the Accademia delle Scienze di Torino (Academy of Sciences of Turin).
In the realm of literature, Alessandro Leonardi (1770-1834) was an Italian poet and playwright who wrote several tragedies and comedies in the Venetian dialect. His works shed light on the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Veneto region.
Finally, Felice Leonardi (1828-1903) was an Italian painter and engraver known for his landscapes and genre scenes. He was a member of the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia (Academy of Fine Arts of Venice) and is considered one of the most important exponents of the Venetian school of painting in the 19th century.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Leonardi
Among Census respondents with the surname Leonardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Leonardi bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Leonardi surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.0%
- Hispanic or Latino4.5%
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2%
- Two or more races0.9%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Leonardi surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,864 | #15,864 | 0.0% |
| Count | 1,834 | 1,834 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.62 | 0.62 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Leonardi bearers went from 1,834 to 1,834 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #15,864 to #15,864.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Leonardi
FAQ
Leonardi surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Leonardi?
The surname Leonardi holds position #15,864 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 2,125 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Leonardi surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Leonardi, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.