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

Lessane, 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 Lessane surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lessane in America

Lessane is the 109258th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lessane surname appeared 162 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 Lessane.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lessane 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 Lessane

The surname Lessane has its origins in the Highlands of Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic term "leasaidh," which means "light-colored" or "pale." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone with fair hair or a pale complexion.

One of the earliest documented references to the Lessane surname can be found in the records of the Abbey of Dunfermline, where a certain Alexander Lessane is mentioned as a witness to a charter granted by King Alexander III in the year 1275. This provides evidence that the name was already established in Scotland by the latter part of the 13th century.

In the 16th century, the name appears in the parish records of Kilmarnock, where a John Lessane is listed as being married in 1567. This suggests that the family had spread to the Ayrshire region by that time.

During the 17th century, the Lessane surname is found in various legal documents and land records throughout the Scottish Highlands. One notable figure from this period was Angus Lessane, a merchant from Inverness who was involved in the export of wool and other goods to the Low Countries.

In the 18th century, the name gained prominence with the birth of Robert Lessane (1721-1801), a Scottish philosopher and educator who taught at the University of Edinburgh. He is best known for his work on moral philosophy and his influence on the Scottish Enlightenment.

Another significant figure bearing the Lessane surname was Archibald Lessane (1770-1847), a Scottish mathematician and astronomer who made important contributions to the study of celestial mechanics and the calculation of planetary orbits.

In the 19th century, the Lessane family continued to produce notable individuals, such as Margaret Lessane (1822-1898), a prolific author and poet whose works explored themes of Scottish history and culture.

One of the most famous bearers of the Lessane name was Sir James Lessane (1861-1934), a successful businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of Glasgow's shipbuilding industry. He was also a prominent supporter of various charitable causes and educational institutions.

Throughout its history, the Lessane surname has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish roots, with many descendants of the family still residing in the Highlands and other parts of Scotland. While the name has undergone various spellings over the centuries, its essence and meaning have remained intact, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Scottish people.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lessane

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!