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

Leyba, 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 Leyba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leyba in America

Leyba is the 8587th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leyba surname appeared 3,836 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 Leyba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leyba 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 Leyba

The surname "LEYBA" has its origins in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "leiva," which means "yeast" or "leaven." This surname was likely initially given to someone who worked as a baker or had some connection to the baking trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the 13th-century manuscript "Cartulario de Valpuesta," where a certain Martín Leyba is mentioned. This document suggests that the name was already in use during that time in the northern region of Spain.

In the 15th century, the surname appears in various historical records from the province of León, such as the "Libro de la Montería" compiled by King Alfonso XI. This book, which documented hunting activities, mentions several individuals with the surname Leyba, indicating that the name had spread across different regions of Spain.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Leyba gained prominence in Spain, with several notable individuals bearing this name. Juan de Leyba (1518-1598) was a renowned Spanish architect who worked on several important projects, including the renovation of the Alcázar of Segovia.

Another notable figure was Pedro de Leyba (1570-1635), a Spanish military officer and explorer who participated in the conquest of Chile and served as the governor of the territory between 1617 and 1625.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the Atlantic, the surname Leyba was carried to the Americas, where it took root in various regions, particularly in Mexico and parts of South America. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the New World is that of Rodrigo de Leyba, a Spanish settler who established a hacienda in what is now Colombia in the late 16th century.

In the 18th century, José de Leyba (1730-1810) was a prominent Spanish military engineer who oversaw the construction of several fortifications in the Caribbean, including the Castillo de San Pedro de la Roca in Santiago de Cuba.

Throughout its history, the surname Leyba has undergone various spelling variations, such as Leiva, Leyva, and Lleyva, reflecting the regional dialects and linguistic influences in different parts of Spain and Latin America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leyba

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

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

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

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