Ledbetter
A surname of uncertain origin, probably a later English form built on a personal or place-name beginning with Led-.
The #1,847 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 15,901 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The exact origin of Ledbetter is not securely established in the older surname literature. It is probably an English surname that developed from some earlier form beginning with Led- or Le- plus a second element that was later reshaped in spelling and pronunciation. Because the historical records cited here only mention the name incidentally, the older etymology remains uncertain rather than firmly provable.
History
Ledbetter is recorded in 19th-century American usage, showing that the surname was already established in the United States by that period. Modern bearers may reflect English immigration and later American branchings of the name. The name is now found especially in the United States, where it is comparatively uncommon but well established.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In U.S. census data, Ledbetter is uncommon but still represented by tens of thousands of bearers.
From the historical record
“Page 371. — After Sculley, add Scully. Page 374. — Mr. Ledbetter is a lawyer at La Grange, Tex. SUPPLEMENT. 493”
— Suffolk Surnames (3rd ed.)