Explore the Family Name Legesse
The meaning of Legesse
Ethiopian: from the personal name Legesse, which is interpreted as e.g. ‘he was generous’ in the Amharic language. — Note: Since Ethiopians do not have hereditary surnames, this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Legesse in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Legesse has significantly increased over the years. In 2000, it ranked as the 78,326th most popular surname in the U.S., but by 2010, it had risen to the 51,396th spot, representing a change of 34.38%. The count of individuals with this surname also grew from 227 in 2000 to 405 in 2010 - an increase of 78.41%. Consequently, the proportion of people named Legesse per 100,000 residents also grew by 75%, from 0.08 in 2000 to 0.14 in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #78,326 | #51,396 | 34.38% |
| Count | 227 | 405 | 78.41% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.08 | 0.14 | 75% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Legesse
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insight into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Legesse. In 2000, the largest percentage of individuals with the surname Legesse identified as Black (82.82%), and this figure rose to 95.06% in 2010. There was a significant decrease in those identifying as two or more races, plummeting from 11.45% in 2000 to just 1.23% in 2010. Data for Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaskan Native identities remained at zero for both census years. Those identifying as White constituted 2.64% of Legesses in 2000, which decreased to 1.48% by 2010. Interestingly, there were no individuals identifying as Hispanic in 2000, but the 2010 data shows a small presence at 1.48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 82.82% | 95.06% | 14.78% |
| White | 2.64% | 1.48% | -43.94% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 1.48% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 11.45% | 1.23% | -89.26% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |