Explore the Family Name Letterman

The meaning of Letterman

1. Dutch: nickname for a short person, from Middle Dutch luttel, littel, lettel ‘small’. 2. Americanized form of German Lettermann: elaborated form of Lett 2. 3. Americanized form of German Lettermann: habitational name for someone from Letter, near Hanover.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Letterman in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Letterman" has seen a significant decline between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, it ranked 15,880 in terms of prevalence but fell drastically to 35,945 in 2010, signifying an overall change of -126.35. The number of individuals bearing this surname also decreased from 1,682 in 2000 to just 624 in 2010, which is a drop of approximately 62.9%. Consequently, the proportion of people with this surname per 100,000 population reduced by 66.13%, from 0.62 in 2000 to 0.21 in 2010.

20002010Change
Rank#15,880#35,945-126.35%
Count1,682624-62.9%
Proportion per 100k0.620.21-66.13%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Letterman

Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the surname "Letterman", the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals some changes over the decade. The percentage of Letterman's identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander increased by 48.15% from 2000 to 2010, while those identifying as two or more races saw a modest growth of 16.85%. However, the majority of people with this surname identified as white, though their proportion decreased slightly by 1.91%. Notably, the proportion of Hispanics bearing this surname more than doubled, showing a dramatic increase of 119.85%. On the other hand, those identifying as Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native decreased by 15.79% and 14.09% respectively.

20002010Change
White93.94%92.15%-1.91%
Hispanic1.31%2.88%119.85%
Two or More Races1.78%2.08%16.85%
American Indian and Alaskan Native1.49%1.28%-14.09%
Asian/Pacific Islander0.54%0.8%48.15%
Black0.95%0.8%-15.79%