Explore the Family Name Leven
The meaning of Leven
1. North German: from the ancient Germanic personal name represented by Old English Lēofwine, composed of the elements lēof ‘dear, beloved’ + wine ‘friend’. 2. Jewish (Ashkenazic): variant of Levin 1 and 2. 3. English and Scottish: habitational name from a place called Leven in East Yorkshire, or possibly from Levens in Cumbria. The Yorkshire place probably takes its name from a lost river name of British origin, perhaps meaning ‘the slow moving one’. The Cumbrian placename derives from the Old English personal name Lēofa ‘dear, beloved’ + Old English næss ‘promontory, headland’. Some characteristic forenames: German Gerd, Inge, Merwin, Wilhelm.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Leven in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Leven's popularity decreased over a decade. In 2000, Leven was ranked 31,530th most common in the United States, but by 2010, it had dropped to 36,695th, a decline of 16.38%. The number of people with this surname also fell from 694 in 2000 to 609 in 2010, representing a 12.25% decrease. Consequently, the proportion of people named Leven per 100,000 residents reduced by 19.23%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,530 | #36,695 | -16.38% |
| Count | 694 | 609 | -12.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.21 | -19.23% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Leven
The Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some shifts in the ethnic identity associated with the surname Leven between 2000 and 2010. While the percentage of individuals identified as White decreased slightly from 81.84% to 79.15%, there was a noticeable increase in those identifying as Hispanic, from 10.09% to 12.81%. The proportion of Levens identifying as Black declined by 10.41%, from 6.05% down to 5.42%. Meanwhile, the percentage of individuals with the surname Leven who reported being of two or more races rose from 0% to 1.15%. The data for Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native were either not available (indicated by an "(S)") or remained at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 81.84% | 79.15% | -3.29% |
| Hispanic | 10.09% | 12.81% | 26.96% |
| Black | 6.05% | 5.42% | -10.41% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.15% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.86% | 0% | 0% |