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

Leone, 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 Leone surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leone in America

Leone is the 2372nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leone surname appeared 15,364 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Leone.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leone 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 Leone

The surname Leone originates from Italy and is derived from the Italian word "leone," meaning lion. This surname likely emerged in the Middle Ages, as surnames became more widespread across Europe during this time period.

The earliest documented instances of the Leone surname can be traced back to the 13th century in regions such as Sicily, Calabria, and Naples. The name may have been initially adopted by individuals who displayed bravery or strength akin to the lion, or it could have been a descriptive name for someone with lion-like physical characteristics.

In the late 13th century, records from the city of Messina in Sicily mention a nobleman named Riccardo Leone, suggesting the name's association with nobility and prominence at that time. Another early reference to the Leone surname can be found in the "Codice Diplomatico Barese," a collection of documents from the city of Bari in southern Italy, where it mentions a certain Nicola Leone in the year 1295.

The surname Leone has been documented in various historical records throughout Italy's history, including the "Codice Diplomatico Normanno" from the 11th century, which mentions a certain Guglielmo Leone in the year 1081.

One notable bearer of the Leone surname was Tommaso Leone (1616-1676), an Italian painter from Naples who was known for his religious works and landscapes. Another prominent figure was Giovanni Leone (1908-2001), an Italian politician who served as the sixth President of the Italian Republic from 1971 to 1978.

Other notable individuals with the surname Leone include Enrico Leone (1835-1909), an Italian philosopher and writer, as well as Vincenzo Leone (1624-1694), an Italian painter and architect from Naples who was known for his Baroque-style works.

In the 15th century, the Leone surname can be found in records from the Duchy of Milan, suggesting its spread throughout various regions of Italy over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leone

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

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

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

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