Explore the Family Name Legal
The meaning of Legal
1. French (Légal): nickname for a loyal person, from a variant of Old French leial. 2. Breton (also Le Gal): variant of Legall 1.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Legal in the United States?
The surname "Legal" has seen an increase in popularity between the years 2000 and 2010, based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census. In 2000, the surname ranked 101,157 in popularity with 165 individuals carrying it. By 2010, its rank had risen to 93,513 representing a 7.56% change in ranking. The count of people with this surname also increased from 165 in 2000 to 196 in 2010, marking an 18.79% change. Similarly, the proportion per 100,000 people increased by 16.67% from 0.06 in 2000 to 0.07 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #101,157 | #93,513 | 7.56% |
| Count | 165 | 196 | 18.79% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.07 | 16.67% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Legal
As for ethnicity, the data based on the Decennial U.S. Census reveals that the majority of individuals carrying the surname "Legal" identified as White, although there was a slight decrease in this ethnic identity from 81.21% in 2000 to 72.45% in 2010. There was a notable increase in those identifying as Black (from 6.06% in 2000 to 11.73% in 2010) and Hispanic (from 6.67% in 2000 to 10.20% in 2010). Those of Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity remained relatively stable at around 5.5%, while identities of American Indian and Alaskan Native, and those reporting two or more races were recorded as nil for both census years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.21% | 72.45% | -10.79% |
| Black | 6.06% | 11.73% | 93.56% |
| Hispanic | 6.67% | 10.2% | 52.92% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 5.45% | 5.61% | 2.94% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |