Explore the Family Name Leng
The meaning of Leng
1. English: nickname, either from Middle English leng(e) ‘ling’, for someone who dealt in or was thought to resemble this fish. Compare Pike, Tench, Dace, and other fish names. 2. English: variant of Laing. 3. German: variant of Lang. 4. Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 冷, meaning ‘cold’ in Chinese: (i) mispronounced form of the two Chinese surnames, 泠 and 伶 (Ling), which are said to be traceable back to Ling Lun (伶倫), a musician during the reign of the legendary Huang Di, the ‘Yellow Emperor’ (c.27th century bc). (ii) said to be from Leng Shui (冷水), the name of a fief granted to descendants of Kang Shu, the 9th son of the virtuous King Wen of Zhou (1152–1056 BC). 5. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surnames 凌, see Ling 4. 6. Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 甯 (or 寧), see Ning. 7. Chinese: Teochew form of the surname 龍, see Long 5. 8. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 梁, see Liang 1. 9. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 林, see Lin 1. 10. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 練, see Lian 3. 11. Cambodian: written ឡេង, of Chinese origin, from 梁, see Liang 1 and compare 8 above. Some characteristic forenames: Chinese Chu, Chan, Chea, Chi-Cheng, Gang, Heang, Kao, Leung, Oi, Ping, Shek. Southeast Asian Sophal, Chhay, Chhun, Da, Hoa, Khuon, Linh, Long, Thao, Loeuth, Oeun, Pheap, Sokheng, Sovann.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leng in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Leng has increased from the year 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it ranked as the 20,124th most popular surname, but by 2010, it had risen in rank to the 17,502nd position, marking a 13.03% change. The count of people with this surname also went up from 1,232 in 2000 to 1,610 in 2010, representing a significant rise of 30.68%. The proportion per 100,000 people using the Leng surname increased as well from 0.46 to 0.55 during the same period, indicating a 19.57% increase.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #20,124 | #17,502 | 13.03% |
| Count | 1,232 | 1,610 | 30.68% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.46 | 0.55 | 19.57% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leng
When examining the ethnic identity associated with the surname Leng, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of individuals identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This group saw an increase from 69.48% in 2000 to 76.40% in 2010. The percentage of those identifying as two or more races fell sharply by 53.37%, from 5.19% to 2.42%. The portion of individuals with the Leng surname who identify as White also decreased from 22% to 17.58%, a change of -20.09%. Meanwhile, those identifying as Hispanic rose from 1.79% to 2.8%, a substantial 56.42% increase. There were no individuals who identified as Black or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, however, by 2010, 0.81% identified as Black while the latter category remained at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 69.48% | 76.4% | 9.96% |
| White | 22% | 17.58% | -20.09% |
| Hispanic | 1.79% | 2.8% | 56.42% |
| Two or More Races | 5.19% | 2.42% | -53.37% |
| Black | 0% | 0.81% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |