Explore the Family Name Lehto
The meaning of Lehto
Finnish: ornamental name from lehto ‘grove’, widely adopted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by Finns without surnames in western and southern Finland (compare Laine 4). Also taken to replace Swedish surnames, especially those containing lind ‘lime tree’, lund ‘grove’, and löf ’leaf’. In the US, this may also be a shortened form of the cognate Lehtonen. Some characteristic forenames: Finnish Reino, Toivo, Tyyne, Arvo, Aune, Kalevi, Oiva, Rauno, Tauno, Timo.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lehto in the United States?
The surname Lehto was ranked the 17,685th most popular in the United States in 2000 and slid slightly to 18,729th place in 2010. This data, gleaned from the Decennial U.S. Census, also showed a marginal increase in the count of individuals with this surname, from 1,462 in 2000 to 1,466 in 2010. However, when adjusted for population growth, the proportion of the U.S. population named Lehto per 100,000 people fell by 7.41% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #17,685 | #18,729 | -5.9% |
| Count | 1,462 | 1,466 | 0.27% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.54 | 0.5 | -7.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lehto
An examination of the ethnic identity of individuals bearing the Lehto surname, based on data from the same Decennial U.S. Census, reveals a predominantly White demographic, though slight shifts occurred between 2000 and 2010. While the percentage of White individuals decreased marginally from 95.49% to 93.79%, Hispanic representation more than doubled from 1.50% to 3.27%. The proportions of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native also increased, while those identifying as Black or belonging to two or more races saw declines.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.49% | 93.79% | -1.78% |
| Hispanic | 1.5% | 3.27% | 118% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.68% | 1.09% | 60.29% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.62% | 0.89% | 43.55% |
| Two or More Races | 1.09% | 0.48% | -55.96% |
| Black | 0.62% | 0.48% | -22.58% |