2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Liebal
A surname derived from a nickname meaning "beloved" or "sweet".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Liebal. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Liebal surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Liebal in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Liebal, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Liebal
The surname Liebal has its origins in the German language and can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the region of modern-day Germany, specifically the areas around the state of Lower Saxony.
One of the earliest known mentions of the name Liebal can be found in historical records dating back to the 14th century. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "lieben," which means "to love" or "to cherish." This suggests that the name may have initially been used as a descriptive surname for someone who was known for their affectionate or loving nature.
During the Middle Ages, the surname Liebal appeared in various forms, including Liebel, Liebl, and Lieberl, reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling at the time. These variations were often found in official documents, such as tax records and municipal registers.
One notable figure in history associated with the surname Liebal was Johannes Liebal, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 16th century (1500-1567). He was known for his works on religious philosophy and his contributions to the intellectual discourse of the time.
Another individual of historical significance was Margarethe Liebal (1720-1795), a German artist and painter from the city of Nuremberg. Her works, primarily focused on portraiture and still-life paintings, were highly regarded during her lifetime and can still be found in various art collections across Europe.
In the 19th century, the surname Liebal was also associated with Carl Liebal (1845-1912), a German architect who was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Berlin, including the former Reich Chancellery.
Moving into the 20th century, one notable figure with the surname Liebal was Hans Liebal (1905-1997), a German cinematographer and film director. He worked on numerous productions during the golden age of German cinema and is widely recognized for his contributions to the art of cinematography.
It is worth noting that the surname Liebal has also been associated with various place names and locations throughout Germany, such as the town of Liebal in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. These place names may have influenced the surname's spelling and pronunciation over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Liebal
Among Census respondents with the surname Liebal, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Liebal bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Liebal surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 98
- Two or more races3.7% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Liebal
Liebal appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,950 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,834 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,950 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 2,834 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Liebal surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #150,935 | 1.8% |
| Count | 106 | 108 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Liebal bearers went from 106 to 108 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 2,834 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,935.
FAQ
Liebal surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Liebal?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Liebal. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Liebal?
Liebal ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 108 people with the surname Liebal. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Liebal.
Has Liebal become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Liebal went from 106 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Liebal?
Among Census respondents with the surname Liebal, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.7%) and Hispanic (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Liebal in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Liebal appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Two or More Races (3.7%), Hispanic (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Liebal (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Liebal mean?
A surname derived from a nickname meaning "beloved" or "sweet". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Liebal (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Liebal?
Want to know how many people have the last name Liebal? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.