Leib History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany

The German surname Leib emerged in the lands that form the modern state of Lower Saxony, which is presently bordered by the North Sea, the Hartz mountains and the Elbe and Ems rivers. Lower Saxony was previously a medieval dukedom. In the Middle Ages, many of the Saxon lands were a part of the Holy Roman Empire, which was characterized by the Feudal System. Before this era, people were known only by a single name. However, as the population increased and travelers set out on their journeys, it became necessary for people to adopt a second name to identify themselves. Many people, such as the Leib family, adopted the name of their feudal occupation as their surname. However, an occupational name did not become a hereditary surname until the office or type of employment became hereditary. The surname Leib was an occupational name for a baker. The root of this distinguished surname is the word laib, which in the Middle Ages referred to a baker.

Early Origins of the Leib family

The surname Leib was first found in Brunswick, where the name was closely identified in early mediaeval times with the feudal society which would become prominent throughout European history. Chronicles first mention Hans Laybel in Nickolsberg in 1414, and Peter Loeublin of Reutlingen in 1390.

Early History of the Leib family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Leib research. Another 162 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1646, 1711, 1716, 1844 and 1900 are included under the topic Early Leib History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Leib Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Leib, Leibe, Leibner, Leiber, Leibnitz, Leipnitz, Leibler, Leible, Leibl, Leiblin, Leibesman, Leiblein, Laib, Laible and many more.

Early Notables of the Leib family

Notables of the time included

Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716), a philosopher, mathematician, and polymath, who entered the service of the Electoral Archbishop of Mainz...
Wilhelm Leibl (1844-1900) was a German painter, born in Cologne, where his father was Musikdirektor of the cathedral...

Leib Ranking

In the United States, the name Leib is the 13,233^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Leib migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Leib Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Leib, who immigrated to America in 1709 with his wife and three children
Johan Leib, who arrived in New York in 1709 2
Ulrich Leib and Johannes Leib, who settled in Philadelphia in 1727
Johan Michael Leib, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
Johan Peter Leib, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Leib Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Hersch Leib, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1806 2
Wilhelmine Leib, who settled in Texas in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Leib (post 1700) +

Gary David Leib (1955-2021), American underground cartoonist, animator, and musician, best known for the comic book Idiotland
William S. Leib, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1908
William H. Leib, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Ashland, Pennsylvania, 1885
Valentine Leib, American politician, Member of Michigan Prohibition Party State Central Committee, 1899
Samuel W. Leib, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for U.S. Representative from Michigan 15th District, 1940; Candidate for Circuit Judge in Michigan 3rd Circuit, 1947, 1953
Owen D. Leib (b. 1848), American Democratic Party politician, U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania 11th District, 1845-47
Michael Leib (1760-1822), American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1795; U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania, 1799-1806 (1st District 1799-1801, 2nd District 1801-03, 1st District 1803-06); U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, 1809-14; Resigned 1814; Postmaster at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1814-15
Levi C. Leib, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Ashland, Pennsylvania, 1865-85
Howard E. Leib, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Schuylkill County, 1901-02
Michael Leib, American physician and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)