Leeuw is Dutch for lion.
It occurs as a surname, most commonly in the form of De Leeuw ("the lion"; 9,814 people in the Netherlands in 2007[1] and 2,211 in Belgium in 1998[2]).
"De Leeuw", “Leeuw” (873 & 34 people) and Van der Leeuw (765 & 9 people) are thought to mostly be toponymic surnames, with the first bearers named "(from) the Lion" after a house, windmill or farm with that name.
[3] The more common surname Van Leeuwen has a distinct origin in the small town of Leeuwen and perhaps in the city of Leuven.
People with these surnames include: