Find out how popular the last name Lagoa is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Lagoa.

Lagoa, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Lagoa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lagoa in America

Lagoa is the 116201st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lagoa surname appeared 150 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lagoa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lagoa to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Lagoa

The surname LAGOA has its origins in Portugal, dating back to the 15th century. The name is derived from the Portuguese word "lagoa," meaning "lagoon" or "lake," suggesting that the earliest bearers of this name may have lived near or been associated with a body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAGOA surname can be found in the Livro das Linhagens, a Portuguese genealogical record from the 13th century. It mentions a family with the name "de Lagoa," indicating their connection to a specific location bearing that name.

In the 16th century, the LAGOA surname appeared in various historical documents, including land records and Church registries. For example, João LAGOA, born in 1542, was a prominent landowner in the Algarve region of southern Portugal.

As Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to other parts of the world, the LAGOA surname spread to various colonies and territories. In the 17th century, records show the presence of individuals with this surname in Brazil, particularly in the northeastern region.

One notable bearer of the LAGOA name was Luís António de LAGOA (1670-1745), a Portuguese architect and military engineer who designed several important buildings and fortifications in Brazil, including the Fortaleza de Santa Cruz in Niterói.

In the 19th century, the LAGOA surname gained further recognition with the birth of José Joaquim de LAGOA (1815-1891), a Brazilian politician and lawyer who served as a senator and played a significant role in the abolition of slavery in Brazil.

Another notable figure was Manuel Lagoa (1828-1894), a Portuguese painter and illustrator known for his works depicting rural life and landscapes. His paintings can be found in various museums in Portugal and abroad.

The LAGOA surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Lagoa, a municipality in the Algarve region of Portugal, and Lagoa Santa, a town in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, both of which likely contributed to the spread and adoption of the surname.

While the LAGOA surname is predominantly associated with Portugal and its former colonies, it has also found its way into other parts of the world through migration and intermarriage. However, its roots can be traced back to the Portuguese language and the country's rich history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lagoa

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Lagoa.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Lagoa was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Lagoa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Lagoa was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lagoa, please contact us.

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