Explore the Family Name Leighty
The meaning of Leighty
Perhaps an altered form of English Laity.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leighty in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Leighty has seen a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, its rank was 13,415 but fell to 13,903 in 2010, marking a change of -3.64 percent. Despite this drop in rank, the total count of people bearing the last name Leighty actually increased from 2,082 in 2000 to 2,172 in 2010, a growth of 4.32 percent. However, when measured as a proportion out of every 100,000 people, the frequency of the surname Leighty decreased by -3.9 percent over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #13,415 | #13,903 | -3.64% |
| Count | 2,082 | 2,172 | 4.32% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.77 | 0.74 | -3.9% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leighty
The Decennial U.S. Census also provides insights into the ethnic identity associated with the surname Leighty. From 2000 to 2010, there was a significant increase in its association with Asian/Pacific Islander ethnicity, which grew by 117.65 percent. However, the majority of Leightys identified as White, although this percentage slightly declined from 95.92 in 2000 to 94.84 in 2010. The representation of the surname within the Hispanic community also rose by 28.32 percent. There were no changes in the associations with the Black, American Indian, and Alaskan Native communities, as these percentages remained at zero in both years.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.92% | 94.84% | -1.13% |
| Hispanic | 2.26% | 2.9% | 28.32% |
| Two or More Races | 1.15% | 1.29% | 12.17% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.34% | 0.74% | 117.65% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |