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

Lieber, 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 Lieber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lieber in America

Lieber is the 12115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lieber surname appeared 2,573 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 Lieber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lieber 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 Lieber

The surname Lieber originates from Germany, with its roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German word "lieb," meaning "dear" or "beloved," suggesting that it may have been initially used as a nickname or a term of endearment.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Lieber can be traced back to the 13th century in various German regions, particularly in areas such as Bavaria and Saxony. The name's spelling has remained relatively consistent over time, with minor variations like "Lieber" or "Lieber."

One of the earliest documented references to the name Lieber can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae, a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions a certain "Conradus Lieber" in the year 1285.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various historical records, including the Stadtbücher (city books) of Nuremberg, where a "Johannes Lieber" was mentioned in 1379.

Among the notable individuals bearing the Lieber surname throughout history, one can mention:

1. Guido Lieber (c. 1592-1654), a German jurist and diplomat who served as a counselor to the Elector of Saxony.
2. Franz Theodor Lieber (1800-1872), a German-American philosopher, jurist, and political theorist, known for his contributions to the laws of war and his advocacy for civil liberties.
3. Michael Lieber (1838-1898), a German-American brewer and entrepreneur who founded the Michael Lieber Brewery in Indianapolis, Indiana.
4. Max Lieber (1870-1957), a German-American businessman and philanthropist, who co-founded the Lieber Company, a successful manufacturing firm in Indianapolis.
5. Lillian Lieber (1886-1986), an American writer and editor, known for her work in children's literature and her contributions to the Horn Book Magazine.

It is worth noting that the name Lieber has also been associated with various place names in Germany, such as Lieberhausen, Liebertwolkwitz, and Liebersee, which may have influenced the spread and usage of the surname in different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lieber

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

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

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

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