An Irish, Scottish and French surname, the Leonard family name came from the Gaelic term of ‘leann’ which meant a cloak. In the Old High German form of ‘leonhard’ it meant strength of a lion.

Spelling variations for Leonard include Lennane, O’Lennon, Lennon, Learned, Lennane, Lannin, Linnane, MacAlinion and O’Lennan. In Germany the spelling of Leonard can be Leonhard and Leonhardt. In Russia the surname is written Leonid and in Sweden it is spelled Lennart. The Italian form of Leonard is Leonardo.

Within Ireland the Leonard surname was first in the area of Galway. Many in the 1840s left Ireland to resettle in the United States, Australia and Canada.

In England the surname started in Huntingdonshire and in Germany in Ulm. Most live in Yorkshire and Lancashire counties as well as the city of London is where most with the Leonard surname live. Leonard families in Scotland mostly live in Lanarkshire, Orkney Islands and Angus counties.

In New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, California, Pennsylvania and Iowa are mostly Leonard families in the United States.


Famous: Ray Charles ‘Sugar Ray’ Leonard (professional boxing champion), Patricia Leonard (opera singer in England), Sheldon Leonard (TV actor, producer and writer), William E. Leonard (poet), Tom Leonard (poet in Scotland), Emil John Leonard (professional baseball player), Stan Leonard (professional golfer), Cynthia Leonard (suffragist) and Brian Leonard (professional football player).