Leao Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Leao last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Leao last name
Meaning of the Leao last name: lion. Leao is a Portuguese surname from leão, "lion", a nickname for a brave man, or from the Spanish kingdom of León. It is common in Portugal and Brazil. The last name is usually written Leão with the tilde. Brazilian families with this last name are numerous.
Arms associated with the Leao name
Coats of arms associated with the Leao surname belong to Portuguese heraldry, whose blazon traditions reached Brazil.
Get your full Leao family history
This is only a glimpse of the Leao story. The full Leao history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Leao coat of arms. Get the full Leao report.
Leao name FAQ
What does the Leao name mean?
Lion. Common variants include Leão, León.
Where does the Leao surname come from?
It originates in Portugal, and is also found in Brazil, the United States and Angola.
Is there a Leao coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Leao coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: José Pedro Machado, Dicionário Onomástico Etimológico da Língua Portuguesa (Lisboa, 1984); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).