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

Lesch, 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 Lesch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lesch in America

Lesch is the 20480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lesch surname appeared 1,296 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 Lesch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lesch 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 Lesch

The surname Lesch has its origins in Germany, tracing back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Lesche," which means a hazelnut grove or thicket. The name likely originated in regions where hazelnut cultivation was prevalent, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Saxony.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lesch can be found in the Kirchenbücher (church records) of Saxony from the late 16th century. These records mention individuals with the surname Lesch residing in various villages and towns across the region.

In the 17th century, the surname Lesch appeared in the Ortsfamilienbücher (local family books) of several German municipalities, indicating its widespread usage during that period. These records often provide valuable insights into the lives and occupations of individuals bearing the name.

Notable individuals with the surname Lesch throughout history include Johann Lesch (1592-1666), a renowned German poet and writer from Saxony. His works, such as "Der Frühlingsblumen" (The Spring Flowers), were widely celebrated during his lifetime.

Another prominent figure was Wilhelmine Lesch (1789-1847), a German educator and pioneer in the field of early childhood education. She established several kindergartens and authored influential books on teaching methods.

In the 19th century, Friedrich Lesch (1812-1887) gained recognition as a German architect and urban planner. His designs left a lasting impact on the architectural landscape of various German cities, including Dresden and Munich.

The name Lesch can also be traced back to some historical place names. For instance, the village of Leschendorf (now part of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) was likely named after an early settler or landowner with the surname Lesch.

Additionally, the town of Leschkirch in Bavaria, formerly known as Leschkirchen, may have derived its name from a similar origin, reflecting the presence of individuals bearing the surname Lesch in the area.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, several prominent academics and scientists bore the surname Lesch, including Carl Lesch (1751-1823), a respected botanist, and Heinrich Lesch (1820-1891), a renowned physicist and inventor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lesch

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

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

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

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