Lareco
Of uncertain origin, possibly inspired by Spanish words related to laughter or merriment.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Lareco. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Lareco today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lareco births was 1989 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lareco. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lareco. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1989
5 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1989 SSA rank
#8,672
Tracked since 1989
Popularity
Lareco: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Lareco by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lareco during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Lareco
The name Lareco has its origins in the ancient Etruscan language, which was spoken in parts of present-day Italy before the rise of the Roman Empire. It is believed to have derived from the Etruscan word "larec," which means "to guide" or "to lead." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to those who held leadership roles within their communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lareco can be found in the Etruscan inscriptions from the city of Cerveteri, dating back to the 6th century BCE. These inscriptions were discovered on various artifacts, including pottery and tomb engravings, indicating that the name was in use among the Etruscan aristocracy.
During the Roman era, the name Lareco was adopted and adapted by Roman families, particularly those with Etruscan ancestry or connections. It appears in several Roman historical records, including the writings of the historian Livy, who mentions a Roman general named Lareco Tullius who fought against the Gauls in the 4th century BCE.
In the Middle Ages, the name Lareco resurfaced in various parts of Europe, although its usage was relatively limited. One notable figure from this period was Lareco da Spoleto, an Italian monk and scholar who lived in the 12th century and wrote extensively on theology and philosophy.
As the Renaissance period dawned, the name Lareco gained popularity among Italian aristocratic families, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Umbria. One famous bearer of the name was Lareco Medici, a member of the powerful Medici family who served as a diplomat and advisor to several Popes in the 15th century.
In the 17th century, a Dutch explorer named Lareco van der Meer is recorded as one of the first Europeans to establish trade relations with the indigenous people of New Zealand. His encounters with the Maori people are documented in several historical accounts.
Another notable figure with the name Lareco was Lareco Boccherini, an Italian composer and cellist who lived in the 18th century. He is best known for his numerous string quintets and his contributions to the development of the classical music genre.
While the name Lareco has declined in popularity in modern times, it remains a part of historical records and cultural heritage, particularly in regions with strong Etruscan and Italian influences.
People
Lareco + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lareco as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lareco: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lareco?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lareco going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Lareco a common name?
We classify Lareco as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lareco most popular?
The single biggest year for Lareco was 1989, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lareco is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lareco in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lareco a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lareco in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Lareco still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lareco in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lareco can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Lareco?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.