LEGO bricks first came out as plastic “Automatic Binding Bricks” in 1949, and the modern-style LEGO brick design was patented in 1958.

Quick Scoop

  • The LEGO company started as a small wooden toy workshop in Billund, Denmark, in 1932, founded by Ole Kirk Christiansen.
  • The name LEGO was adopted a bit later and comes from the Danish phrase “leg godt,” meaning “play well.”
  • LEGO’s first plastic bricks were released in 1949 and were the direct ancestors of today’s system.
  • The interlocking stud‑and‑tube brick design used in modern sets was patented in 1958 by Ole’s son, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen.

TL;DR:
If you are asking “when did LEGOs come out,” most fans point to 1949 for the first plastic LEGO bricks, and 1958 for the classic brick design that still works with sets sold today.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.