Leonhardt
A German surname built from the old personal name Leonhard, meaning “brave as a lion” or “lion-strong.”
The #9,330 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 88,440 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Leonhardt is a German surname derived from the medieval personal name Leonhard, from Old High German elements meaning “lion” (lewo, leo) and “hard” meaning “strong, brave, hardy.” In origin it is a name of the Leonhard/Liuthard type, ultimately based on a Christian-era given name that became very popular in German-speaking Europe. The final -t in Leonhardt is a spelling variant; the core name is the same as Leonhard and Leonhart.
History
The name is especially associated with German-speaking regions and later spread through migration to North America and other countries. Historical surname dictionaries group Leonhardt with many close spellings such as Leonhard, Leonhart, and Leonhardt, showing how the final consonant and vowel spellings varied by place and record-keeper. In the United States it is relatively uncommon, but it is recognizable as a German immigrant surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Older surname studies often list Leonhardt alongside a whole family of related forms, showing how a single medieval given name generated many regional spellings.
From the historical record
“nicht aus dem Lateinischen entlehnt, sondern urverwandt ist, großen Halt gewinnt FN. Leonard: Lötcenhardt — Leonhardt Leonard — Lonhardt — Lönhard Löhner i — Launhardt — Lienhardt Lienert — Linhard — Lehnhard; Leh^ nert — Lenhard — Leinert. Gen. Linnartx — Lenkartx; Lennartx —”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen