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

Lajara, 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 Lajara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lajara in America

Lajara is the 30277th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lajara surname appeared 773 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 Lajara.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lajara 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 Lajara

The surname Lajara is believed to have originated in Spain, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is thought to have derived from the Spanish word "lajara," which means a steep rocky slope or cliff. This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive name for someone who lived near or on a rocky outcrop.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lajara can be found in the baptismal records of the parish of San Sebastián in Seville, Spain, from the year 1592, where a child named Juan Lajara was baptized. This indicates that the name was already in use in the region during the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Lajara surname appears to have spread to other parts of Spain, including the provinces of Jaén and Granada. Historical records from this period, such as census documents and property deeds, mention individuals with the surname Lajara residing in these areas.

One notable individual with the Lajara surname was Pedro Lajara, a Spanish military officer who served in the Spanish Armada during the late 16th century. He was born in Seville around 1560 and played a role in the famous naval battle against the English fleet in 1588.

Another historical figure with this surname was María Lajara, a nun who lived in Granada in the 17th century. She was known for her charitable works and her dedication to helping the poor and underprivileged in her community.

In the 18th century, the Lajara surname can be found in various records from the Spanish colonies in the Americas, suggesting that some individuals with this name had migrated to the New World during this period.

One example is Diego Lajara, a Spanish settler who established a hacienda in the region of Guanajuato, Mexico, in the early 1700s. His descendants continued to use the Lajara surname in the following generations.

Juan Lajara, born in 1785 in Seville, was a renowned artist and painter who gained recognition for his depictions of religious scenes and portraits. His works can still be found in several churches and museums in Spain.

Towards the end of the 19th century, Manuel Lajara, a prominent writer and journalist from Madrid, made significant contributions to the Spanish literary scene with his novels and articles published in various newspapers and magazines of the time.

While the Lajara surname is still present in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries today, its origins can be traced back to the rocky landscapes of Spain, where it likely originated as a descriptive name for those who lived near steep cliffs or rocky slopes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lajara

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

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

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

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