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

Leu, 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 Leu surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leu in America

Leu is the 12587th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leu surname appeared 2,459 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Leu.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leu 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 Leu

The surname LEU originated in Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages around the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "leu" or "lewe," meaning "lion." This name initially referred to an individual with lion-like characteristics, such as strength, courage, or fierceness.

In its earliest recorded form, the name appeared as "Lewe" in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of historical documents from the region of Saxony, dating back to the year 1198. As the name spread across German territories, variations in spelling emerged, including Leuw, Leuwe, and Leu.

The Leu surname can be traced back to several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Hans Leu, a prominent merchant and town councillor in Nuremberg, who lived from 1450 to 1523. Another was Johann Michael Leu, a German engraver and publisher from Nuremberg, born in 1663 and renowned for his intricate copperplate engravings.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in the records of the town of Mühlhausen, where a family by the name of Leu owned a prosperous weaving business. One member of this family, Johannes Leu, was a respected master weaver who lived from 1520 to 1598.

The name also has connections to various place names in Germany. For instance, the village of Leuben in Saxony is believed to have derived its name from the surname Leu, suggesting that individuals bearing this name may have been among the earliest settlers in the area.

Other notable individuals with the surname Leu include:

1. Theodor Leu (1805-1871), a Swiss painter known for his landscapes and portraiture.
2. Alfred Leu (1872-1945), a Swiss architect and urban planner who designed several prominent buildings in Zürich.
3. Elisabeth Leu (1900-1994), a Swiss artist and sculptor known for her abstract works in stone and metal.
4. Hans Leu (1922-2004), a Swiss politician and member of the National Council of Switzerland.
5. Karin Leu (born 1955), a German novelist and children's book author, best known for her historical fiction.

While the surname LEU has its roots in Germany, it has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries. However, the earliest recorded examples and historical references can be traced back to the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, where the name originated and gained prominence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leu

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

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

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

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