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

Leyja, 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 Leyja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Leyja in America

Leyja is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Leyja surname appeared 148 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 Leyja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Leyja 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 Leyja

The surname Leyja finds its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Basque word "leyar," which means "muddy" or "marshy," suggesting that the name may have been initially associated with individuals residing in or near swampy areas.

One of the earliest known references to the surname Leyja can be traced back to the 11th century, where it appears in a medieval manuscript detailing land ownership records in the town of Biarritz, located in the Basque region of France. The document mentions a certain Petri de Leyja, who is believed to have been a landowner or nobleman at the time.

In the 13th century, the name Leyja is found in several historical records from the Kingdom of Navarre, which encompassed parts of modern-day Spain and France. One notable figure was Sancho de Leyja, a military commander who served under King Sancho VII of Navarre during the Reconquista period.

As the Basque people migrated and settled in different regions, the surname Leyja spread across the Iberian Peninsula and beyond. In the 15th century, a prominent individual named Juan de Leyja was recorded as a merchant and trader in the city of Seville, Spain, contributing to the economic prosperity of the region.

The name Leyja also made its way to the Americas during the Spanish colonization period. One of the earliest recorded instances was Pedro de Leyja, a Spanish explorer and conquistador who accompanied Hernán Cortés during the conquest of Mexico in the early 16th century.

Throughout history, there have been various notable individuals bearing the surname Leyja, including:

1. Martín de Leyja (1525-1589), a Spanish priest and theologian who played a significant role in the Council of Trent.
2. Catalina de Leyja (1560-1628), a renowned Basque poet and writer known for her lyrical compositions in the Basque language.
3. Francisco de Leyja y Eraso (1635-1709), a Spanish military commander who served in the War of the Spanish Succession.
4. María de Leyja (1720-1782), a Spanish painter and artist recognized for her religious artwork and portraiture.
5. Ignacio de Leyja (1785-1853), a Basque politician and statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 1846 to 1847.

While the surname Leyja has its roots in the Basque region, it has since spread across various parts of the world, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries and regions influenced by Spanish colonization.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Leyja

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

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

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

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