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

Laguna, 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 Laguna surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laguna in America

Laguna is the 6088th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laguna surname appeared 5,633 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Laguna.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laguna 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 Laguna

The surname Laguna has its origins in Spain, with records dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Spanish word "laguna," which means "lagoon" or "pond." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or had some connection to a lagoon or body of water.

During the Middle Ages, surnames often originated from geographic locations, professions, or physical characteristics. In the case of Laguna, it is likely that the name was initially used to identify someone who lived near a lagoon or a body of water, perhaps in a coastal region or an area with many lakes or ponds.

The earliest known record of the surname Laguna can be found in the "Libro de Repartimiento," a document from the 13th century that recorded the distribution of land and properties in the Kingdom of Valencia after the Reconquista. This document mentions several individuals with the surname Laguna, indicating that the name was already in use by that time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Laguna was Pedro de Laguna, a Spanish nobleman and military leader who lived in the 14th century. He played a significant role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long campaign to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Moorish rule.

Another notable figure was Andrés de Laguna, a renowned physician and humanist scholar who lived in the 16th century (1499-1559). He was born in Segovia, Spain, and gained recognition for his translations and commentaries on the works of ancient Greek and Roman medical writers, including Dioscorides and Galen.

In the 17th century, Diego de Laguna (1567-1628) was a Spanish playwright and poet known for his contributions to the Golden Age of Spanish literature. He was born in Seville and wrote several plays, including comedies and tragedies.

Moving forward to the 19th century, Manuel Laguna y Villanueva (1828-1902) was a Spanish politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice in Spain during the reign of King Alfonso XII.

In more recent times, Manuel Laguna Villanueva (1895-1982) was a prominent Spanish painter and sculptor known for his works depicting scenes of rural life in Spain. He was born in Seville and is considered one of the most important artists of the Andalusian regionalist movement.

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Laguna who have left their mark throughout history. The name's origins can be traced back to medieval Spain, where it likely referred to individuals living near or associated with a lagoon or body of water.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laguna

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

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

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

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