LaGreca last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of LaGreca

A surname potentially originating from Italy indicating someone of Greek descent.

LaGreca, 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 LaGreca surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of LaGreca in America

LaGreca is the 27514th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The LaGreca surname appeared 876 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 LaGreca.

We can also compare 2010 data for LaGreca 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 27514 27207 1.12%
Count 876 836 4.67%
Proportion per 100k 0.30 0.31 -3.28%

The history of the last name LaGreca

The surname LaGreca has its origins in Italy and is believed to have first emerged in the 14th century. It is derived from the Italian word "greco," which means "Greek." This suggests that the name was likely given to individuals or families who had Greek ancestry or connections.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LaGreca can be found in historical documents from the city of Naples, where it was used to identify individuals who had migrated from Greece to the region during the Middle Ages. These early records often use the spelling "La Greca" or "De Greca," indicating the family's Greek heritage.

During the Renaissance period, the name LaGreca gained prominence in various parts of Italy, particularly in the regions of Campania and Calabria. In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing this surname was Girolamo LaGreca (1497-1556), a renowned Renaissance humanist and philosopher from Naples.

Another significant individual with the surname LaGreca was Giovanni LaGreca (1554-1619), a Italian Catholic prelate who served as the Bishop of Mileto from 1608 until his death. His tenure as a high-ranking member of the clergy likely contributed to the recognition and spread of the name within ecclesiastical circles.

In the 18th century, the LaGreca name was associated with the town of Greci, located in the province of Avellino, Campania. This place name further reinforces the connection between the surname and its Greek origins, as it is believed to have been derived from the Italian word "greci," meaning "Greeks."

One of the most famous individuals with the surname LaGreca was Antonio LaGreca (1871-1935), an Italian painter and sculptor who was born in Naples. His works, which often depicted scenes from daily life in Naples, gained widespread recognition and can be found in various museums and art galleries across Italy.

Throughout history, the LaGreca surname has been found in various Italian regions, including Campania, Calabria, Sicily, and Apulia, reflecting the widespread migration patterns of families bearing this name. While the name has maintained its Italian roots, it has also been adopted by communities of Italian descent in other parts of the world, particularly in countries with significant Italian immigration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name LaGreca

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

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 LaGreca was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.18% 825
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 4.91% 43

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 LaGreca has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.18% 95.33% -1.21%
Black (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 4.91% 3.95% 21.67%

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 LaGreca was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"LaGreca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 29, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/lagreca-surname-popularity/.

"LaGreca last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/lagreca-surname-popularity/. Accessed 29 June, 2025

LaGreca last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/lagreca-surname-popularity/.

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