Lesnar
An occupational surname referring to a person who worked with wood or was a lumberjack.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 171 Americans carry the last name Lesnar. That puts it at #118,185 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,004,411 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lesnar 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
171
1 in 2,004,411
Census rank
#118,185
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
147
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 147 bearers of the surname Lesnar in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 118185th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lesnar, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lesnar
The surname Lesnar originated in the Czech Republic, tracing its roots back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old Czech word "lezník," which referred to a person who lived in a forested area or worked as a woodcutter or logger.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lesnar name can be found in the Litomerice Cadastre, a comprehensive land registry compiled in 1384 for the region of Litomerice in northern Bohemia. Here, the name is listed as "Leznar," likely reflecting the local dialect and pronunciation at the time.
In the 15th century, various spellings of the name appear in municipal records across Bohemia, including "Lesnar," "Leznar," and "Lezner." These variations suggest that the name had spread to different areas and was subject to regional linguistic influences.
During the 16th century, the Lesnar surname gained prominence in the town of Pilsen, where a notable family of brewers and merchants bearing the name resided. Jan Lesnar (c. 1520-1585) was a respected burgher and member of the town council, while his son, Vaclav Lesnar (1560-1632), was a successful entrepreneur who expanded the family's brewery and trading operations.
In the 17th century, the Lesnar name appeared in the records of several villages in the Kladsko region, which at the time was part of the Kingdom of Bohemia. One notable individual from this period was Matous Lesnar (1628-1691), a farmer and landowner who played a role in the local resistance against the Thirty Years' War.
As the Czech lands came under the rule of the Habsburg Empire in the 18th century, the Lesnar name spread to other parts of Central Europe. Johann Lesnar (1725-1799), a skilled clockmaker from Brno, gained recognition for his intricate timepieces, some of which were commissioned by nobility and wealthy patrons.
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, numerous individuals with the Lesnar surname made their mark in various fields, including literature, academia, and the arts. Among them were the poet and translator Josef Lesnar (1844-1917), the linguist and philologist Frantisek Lesnar (1876-1949), and the painter and illustrator Karel Lesnar (1888-1963).
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lesnar
Among Census respondents with the surname Lesnar, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%.
The bar chart below shows how Lesnar 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 Lesnar surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Lesnar 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 | #118,185 | #118,185 | 0.0% |
| Count | 147 | 147 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Lesnar bearers went from 147 to 147 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #118,185 to #118,185.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lesnar
FAQ
Lesnar surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Lesnar?
The surname Lesnar holds position #118,185 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 171 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Lesnar surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lesnar, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. 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.