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

Leonel, 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 Leonel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leonel in America

Leonel is the 91625th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leonel surname appeared 201 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 Leonel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leonel 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 Leonel

The surname Leonel is of Spanish origin and is derived from the personal name Leonel, which is a diminutive form of the name Leon. The name Leon itself is derived from the Latin word "leo," meaning lion. This suggests that the name Leonel may have been used to denote someone with lion-like qualities, such as courage, strength, or nobility.

Leonel is believed to have originated in the regions of Spain, particularly in areas such as Castile and Leon, where the name Leon held significance. The earliest recorded instances of the surname Leonel can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in Spanish historical records and documents.

One notable historical reference to the name Leonel can be found in the "Libro de la Montería" (Book of the Hunt), a medieval Spanish manuscript dating back to the 14th century. This manuscript, which was commissioned by King Alfonso XI of Castile, contains a list of huntsmen, including individuals with the surname Leonel.

Among the earliest recorded bearers of the surname Leonel was Leonel de Cervantes, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who lived in the 15th century. He served as a captain in the army of King Juan II of Castile and participated in the Reconquista, the struggle to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

Another notable figure with the surname Leonel was Juan Leonel de Velasco, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who lived in the 16th century. He was part of the expeditions that explored and conquered parts of present-day Colombia and Venezuela, serving under the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada.

In the realm of literature, the surname Leonel is associated with the Spanish poet and playwright Leonel de Argensola (1592-1613), who was known for his religious poetry and plays. He was part of the Spanish Golden Age literary movement and was highly regarded for his poetic talent.

Additionally, the name Leonel has connections to various place names in Spain, such as the town of Leonel in the province of Teruel, Aragon. This town's name is likely derived from the personal name Leonel, potentially indicating an association between the surname and this specific location.

It is important to note that while the surname Leonel has its roots in Spain, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly to Spanish-speaking regions in Latin America and other countries with historical ties to Spain.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leonel

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

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

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

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