2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Lacatena
A surname derived from the Italian word "catena" meaning chain, possibly denoting an occupation related to chains or metalwork.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Lacatena. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lacatena surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Lacatena in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacatena, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lacatena
The surname LACATENA originated in Italy, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Italian words "la catena," meaning "the chain," possibly referring to a person's occupation or a place associated with chains.
The name LACATENA was most prevalent in the regions of Campania, Calabria, and Sicily, where it is still commonly found today. In the 14th century, the name appeared in several historical documents, such as tax records and property deeds, in the city of Naples.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the LACATENA surname can be found in a 1327 census record from the town of Caserta, near Naples. This document lists a family headed by Nicola LACATENA, a blacksmith who likely earned his surname due to his work with chains and metalwork.
In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the LACATENA name was Giacomo LACATENA, a merchant and diplomat from Palermo, Sicily. He was known for his extensive trade networks throughout the Mediterranean and his role in facilitating diplomatic relations between Sicily and the Republic of Venice.
The LACATENA surname can also be traced back to the town of Catena, located in the province of Reggio Calabria. This place name, which translates to "chain" in English, likely influenced the surname's development in the region.
Over the centuries, several variations of the LACATENA surname emerged, including Lacatina, Lacatini, and Lacatinaro. These variations often reflected regional dialects or the influence of other languages, such as Spanish and French, during periods of foreign rule in parts of Italy.
Other notable individuals with the LACATENA surname include:
1. Giulio LACATENA (1558-1631), a renowned Italian mathematician and astronomer from Naples.
2. Maria LACATENA (1730-1802), a celebrated opera singer from Palermo who performed throughout Europe.
3. Antonio LACATENA (1865-1942), an Italian politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies.
4. Giuseppe LACATENA (1892-1972), a renowned Italian architect and urban planner responsible for several iconic buildings in Rome and Naples.
5. Luca LACATENA (born 1978), a contemporary Italian artist known for his large-scale public installations and sculptures.
The surname LACATENA has a rich history deeply rooted in various regions of Italy, reflecting the country's diverse cultural and linguistic traditions. Its origins and evolution are closely intertwined with occupations, place names, and the enduring legacy of Italian families throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lacatena
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacatena, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Lacatena bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lacatena surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.0% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 4
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lacatena
Lacatena appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-8 bearers (-7.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 18,956 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 4,030 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -8 bearers (-7.3%) | Down 18,956 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Up 4,030 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lacatena surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #155,682 | 2.5% |
| Count | 101 | 100 | -1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lacatena bearers went from 101 to 100 (-1.0% change). The surname moved up 4,030 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #155,682.
FAQ
Lacatena surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lacatena?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Lacatena. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Lacatena?
Lacatena ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 100 people with the surname Lacatena. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Lacatena.
Has Lacatena become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lacatena went from 101 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 1 (-1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Lacatena?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lacatena, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lacatena in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.0% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lacatena appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.0%), Hispanic (4.0%), Two or More Races (4.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lacatena (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lacatena mean?
A surname derived from the Italian word "catena" meaning chain, possibly denoting an occupation related to chains or metalwork. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lacatena (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Lacatena?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the surname Lacatena at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.