Explore the Family Name Leeds
The meaning of Leeds
English: habitational name from either the city in Yorkshire or the village in Kent. The Yorkshire placename is recorded as Loidis in the 8th century and Ledes in 1086, and may derive from British Lātensēs or Lādensēs, meaning ‘the people of the river Lāt- (probably an old name for the river Aire, to be associated with Welsh llawd ‘heat, ardour, passion’)’. The origin of the Kent placename, which is recorded as Hledes c.1100, is uncertain. History: Daniel Leeds (1652–1720) was born in England, probably in Nottinghamshire, and emigrated to North America with his father, Thomas, some time in the third quarter of the 17th century. The family settled in Shrewsbury, NJ, in 1677. Daniel made almanacs and was surveyor general of the Province of West Jersey in 1682. He was married four times and had numerous children.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leeds in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname 'Leeds' experienced a slight decline in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank shifted from 8214 to 8659, marking a decrease of 5.42 percent. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased by 2.18 percent, moving from 3714 to 3795. The proportion per 100k of people with the Leeds surname also saw a decrease of 6.52 percent during this decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,214 | #8,659 | -5.42% |
| Count | 3,714 | 3,795 | 2.18% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.38 | 1.29 | -6.52% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leeds
Analyzing the ethnic identity associated with the 'Leeds' surname from the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some interesting shifts. Those identifying as 'White' made up the majority, although their representation decreased slightly by 1.01 percent from 94.13 percent to 93.18 percent between 2000 and 2010. The representation of the 'Hispanic' and 'Black' categories saw substantial increases of 32.49 percent and 61.02 percent, respectively. There was also a small increase among those identifying with 'Asian/Pacific Islander' and 'Two or more races'. However, the 'American Indian and Alaskan Native' category experienced an 8.03 percent decrease over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.13% | 93.18% | -1.01% |
| Hispanic | 1.97% | 2.61% | 32.49% |
| Two or More Races | 1.27% | 1.32% | 3.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.37% | 1.26% | -8.03% |
| Black | 0.59% | 0.95% | 61.02% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.67% | 0.69% | 2.99% |
Leeds ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Leeds is Ashkenazi Jewish, which comprises 34.6% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (31.2%) and French & German (16.8%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Ashkenazi Jewish | 34.6% |
| British & Irish | 31.2% |
| French & German | 16.8% |
| Other | 17.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Leeds
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Leeds have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 65.30% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 65.30% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 64.50% |
What Leeds haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Leeds is R-CTS10893, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS10893 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-M5021 and R-CTS6, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Rabe, Levenson, Zwick, Dewald, Mendel, Dewberry, Melson, Melrose, Melnyk, Melnick.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Leeds surname are: K1a1b1a, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Leeds have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Leeds" Surname 35.3%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Leeds" Surname 23.7%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Leeds" Surname 17.4%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Leeds" Surname 15.5%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Leeds?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Leeds are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition