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

Loew, 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 Loew surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loew in America

Loew is the 15734th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loew surname appeared 1,853 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 Loew.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loew 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 Loew

The surname Loew is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "leu," meaning "lion," which was initially used as a nickname for someone with a lion-like appearance or bravery.

One of the earliest known records of the name Loew can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of medieval documents from the German state of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century. This suggests that the name was prevalent in the region during that time period.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Loewe, Loewen, and Löw, reflecting regional spelling variations. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and the scribe's interpretation of the name.

The town of Löwenberg (now part of Poland) was once home to a prominent family bearing the name Loew. This place name, which translates to "lion's mountain," may have contributed to the development and spread of the surname in the surrounding areas.

Notable individuals with the surname Loew include Johann Carl Gottfried Loew (1701-1785), a German botanist and physician known for his contributions to the study of plants. Another prominent figure was Friedrich Loew (1813-1900), a German-American entomologist who made significant contributions to the field of insect classification.

In the literary world, the name Loew is associated with Johann Michael Loew (1756-1823), a German playwright and poet who wrote several satirical works critiquing societal norms of his time.

During the 19th century, the surname Loew gained recognition in the United States with the arrival of German immigrants. One notable figure was William Marcus Loew (1856-1904), a business magnate and founder of the Loew's Theaters chain, which played a significant role in the early development of the American film industry.

Throughout history, variations of the surname Loew, such as Löwe, Low, and Leu, have been found in various regions of Germany, as well as in parts of Switzerland and Austria, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name across German-speaking areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loew

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

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

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

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