Explore the Family Name Leon
The meaning of Leon
1. Spanish (León): habitational name from León, a city in northwestern Spain, named with Latin legio, genitive legionis ‘legion’, a division of the Roman army. In Roman times the city was the garrison of the 7th Legion, known as the Legio Gemina. The city’s name became shortened from Legion(em) to Leon(em), and in this form developed an unetymological association with the word for ‘lion’ (Spanish león). 2. French (Léon) and Spanish (León): from the personal name Léon, León, from Latin leo ‘lion’, or the cognate Greek leōn. The name Leo(n) was borne by numerous early Christian martyrs and thirteen popes. 3. Spanish (León): nickname for a fierce or brave warrior, from león ‘lion’. 4. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 梁, see Liang 1. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Jose, Juan, Luis, Manuel, Carlos, Pedro, Jesus, Jorge, Francisco, Rafael, Miguel, Raul.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leon in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname "Leon" has seen a significant increase in popularity over a decade. In 2000, it ranked 483rd among all surnames, but by 2010 it had climbed to 363rd, marking an improvement of 24.84 percent. The total count of individuals bearing this surname also increased from 62,034 in 2000 to 86,363 in 2010, a growth of 39.22 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #483 | #363 | 24.84% |
| Count | 62,034 | 86,363 | 39.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 23 | 29.28 | 27.3% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leon
In terms of ethnic identity, the 2010 Decennial U.S. Census data demonstrated varying changes for the surname Leon. The most identified ethnicity was Hispanic, which saw a rise from 81.65 percent in 2000 to 85.21 percent in 2010. However, White, Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories all experienced declines over the decade. The proportion of those identifying as White decreased from 13.02 percent in 2000 to 9.99 percent in 2010. The Asian/Pacific Islander category dropped slightly from 1.16 percent to 1.04 percent. Those identifying with two or more races decreased from 0.71 percent to 0.44 percent. The proportion of Blacks decreased marginally from 3.02 percent to 2.95 percent, while American Indian and Alaskan Native identities also fell from 0.45 percent to 0.37 percent.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 81.65% | 85.21% | 4.36% |
| White | 13.02% | 9.99% | -23.27% |
| Black | 3.02% | 2.95% | -2.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 1.16% | 1.04% | -10.34% |
| Two or More Races | 0.71% | 0.44% | -38.03% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.45% | 0.37% | -17.78% |
Leon 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 Leon is Spanish & Portuguese, which comprises 36.7% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Indigenous American (23.7%) and British & Irish (12.6%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Ashkenazi Jewish, Italian, Eastern European, and Chinese.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| Spanish & Portuguese | 36.7% |
| Indigenous American | 23.7% |
| British & Irish | 12.6% |
| Other | 27.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Leon
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 Leon have recent ancestry locations all within Mexico.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Michoacan, Mexico | 43.40% |
| Guanajuato, Mexico | 43.40% |
| Durango, Mexico | 43.40% |
| Zacatecas, Mexico | 43.40% |
| Mexico City, Mexico | 43.40% |
What Leon 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 Leon 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 Q-M3 and J-CTS5368, which are predominantly found among people with East Asian & Indigenous American and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Romero, Castro, Molina, Medina, Silva, Garcia, Ruiz, Franco, Santos, Rodriguez.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Leon surname are: A2, H, B2. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to some of the first Americans
Though the Ice Age was beginning to retreat when your A2 ancestors first entered North America, there were still massive barriers blocking their way. Glaciers and inhospitable climate covered much of the continent, blocking entry into the interior. Nonetheless, researchers have found evidence that a wave of American founders migrated over 13,000 kilometers to reach southern Chile in only 2,000 years, a blink of an eye in the story of human migration! Their highway to the south was the coast of the Pacific, stocked with fish, diverse marine mammals, and other valuable resources in the rich kelp forests of the upper latitudes and in the abundant fresh-water rivers near the equator. Because of this rapid movement south, the A2 haplogroup and its diverse branches are found throughout North and South America.
What do people with the surname Leon 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.
"Leon" Surname 42.4%
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.
"Leon" Surname 31.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Leon" Surname 24.2%
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.
"Leon" Surname 15.3%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Leon?
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 Leon are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition