English
The surname Lenard is of English origin. It is derived from an Old French personal name of Germanic origin, composed of the elements 'leon' lion ( a late borrowing from the Romance languages ) and 'hard', hardy, brave, strong; the Old German Leonhard 'lion-bold'. This was the given name of a fifth century Frankish saint, of whom absolutely nothing is known except for a largely fictional life dating from half a millennium later, who was popular throughout Europe in the early Middle Ages and was regarded as the patron saint of peasants,captives and horses. The name was introduced into England by the Normans, but was not a particularly common name there during the Middle Ages; it was revived there during the nineteenth century. It is not as common in England as one would expect, in view of the number of churches dedicated to St.Leonard, the patron saint of captives. The most famous bearer of the name on the Continent was that of Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452-1519 ), remembered principally as a painter and sculptor, but also as an architect, engineer and scientist. The Irish have used the name as an anglicization of the Gaelic name Lennon. In the United States those of Italian descent have used the name as an anglicization of like sounding Italian names. It is now also common as a Jewish name. The name dates back to the twelfth century were a Leonardus de Berhedon is recorded in historical archives. The name was brought to America predominately by English immigrants. One of the first fore fathers to bring this surname to America is that of a Soloman Leonard, who emigrated from Monmouthshire to America in 1630. This name is the two-hundredth and forty-third most common surname in America.