Explore the Family Name Leite
The meaning of Leite
1. Portuguese: nickname from leite ‘milk’ (from Late Latin lacte), probably denoting someone with a particularly pale complexion. 2. German: from the female personal name Aleit(e), a short form of an ancient Germanic name, Adelheid, formed of the elements adal ‘noble’ + heid ‘kind, sort, (human) being’. 3. Norwegian: habitational name from any of several farmsteads in western Norway named Leite or Leitet, from Old Norse leiti ‘hill, elevation’. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Manuel, Mario, Carlos, Luis, Eduardo, Pedro, Ana, Luiz, Miguel, Fernando, Marcos. Portuguese Paulo, Joaquim, Marcio, Adao, Albano, Altair, Ilidio, Joao.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leite in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Leite has seen a growth in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 12,317th most popular, but by 2010, it had moved up to become the 10,316th most common surname, marking a 16.25% shift. The number of people carrying this surname also experienced a significant increase of roughly 34.9%, with the count rising from 2,315 in 2000 to 3,123 in 2010. This led to an increase in the proportion per 100,000 people of about 23.26%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,317 | #10,316 | 16.25% |
| Count | 2,315 | 3,123 | 34.9% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.86 | 1.06 | 23.26% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leite
The ethnicity associated with the surname Leite has changed somewhat over the same decade, according to the Decennial U.S. Census. Notably, there was a significant jump of 191.07% in the Asian/Pacific Islander category, and a substantial rise of 54.06% in the Black category. However, the group identifying as two or more races saw a sharp decline of approximately 81.81%. The White category, which had the highest percentage, increased by 10.5%, while the Hispanic category saw a slight decrease of 3.88%. The American Indian and Alaskan Native category also decreased slightly by 15.38%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 75.55% | 83.48% | 10.5% |
| Hispanic | 7.73% | 7.43% | -3.88% |
| Black | 3.2% | 4.93% | 54.06% |
| Two or More Races | 12.7% | 2.31% | -81.81% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.56% | 1.63% | 191.07% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.26% | 0.22% | -15.38% |
Leite 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 Leite is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 57.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (8.9%) and Italian (6.9%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Indigenous American, Eastern European, Angolan & Congolese, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 57.9% |
| British & Irish | 8.9% |
| Italian | 6.9% |
| Other | 26.3% |
Possible origins of the surname Leite
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 Leite have recent ancestry locations in Portugal and Brazil.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Azores, Portugal | 73.30% |
| Madeira, Portugal | 72.50% |
| Lisbon, Portugal | 71.80% |
| Aveiro District, Portugal | 70.20% |
| Porto District, Portugal | 70.20% |
What Leite 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 Leite is R-P311, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-P311 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include I-DF29 and R-Z225, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Reis, Teixeira, Freitas, Cunha, Soares, Burley, Cross, Rodrigues, Simons, Fernandez.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Leite surname are: B2, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your 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 Leite 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.
"Leite" Surname 36.1%
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.
"Leite" Surname 44.4%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Leite" Surname 16.1%
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.
"Leite" Surname 13.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Leite?
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 Leite are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition