Lalla last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Lalla

A surname derived from a French term meaning "little lamb" or "cute little one."

Lalla, 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 Lalla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lalla in America

Lalla is the 31587th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lalla surname appeared 732 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 Lalla.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lalla 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 31587 34503 -8.82%
Count 732 621 16.41%
Proportion per 100k 0.25 0.23 8.33%

The history of the last name Lalla

The surname LALLA has its origins in the Indian subcontinent, specifically in the northern region of Punjab. It is believed to have emerged around the 16th century and is derived from the Sanskrit word "lala," which means "beloved" or "darling." This term was often used as a term of endearment or a respectful form of address.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname LALLA can be found in historical documents and manuscripts from the Mughal Empire era. It is thought that the name was initially adopted by families belonging to the Khatri caste, which was historically associated with trading and business activities.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname LALLA was Lalla Rukh, a renowned poet and mystic who lived in Kashmir during the 16th century. His works, which explored themes of spirituality and love, are still widely studied and revered today.

In the 17th century, the LALLA surname appeared in various administrative records and chronicles kept by the Mughal court. Notable individuals from this period include Lalla Beg Khan, a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, and Lalla Bhagwan Das, a renowned scholar and author of several literary works.

As the British Raj solidified its control over the Indian subcontinent in the 18th and 19th centuries, the LALLA surname became more widespread and could be found across various regions, particularly in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi. During this period, several prominent figures with the LALLA surname emerged, such as Lalla Lajpat Rai, a renowned freedom fighter and leader of the Indian independence movement, who lived from 1865 to 1928.

Another notable figure was Lalla Shri Ram, a distinguished lawyer and politician who served as the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Punjab from 1937 to 1946. Lalla Ramswaroop, born in 1884, was a prominent educationist and social reformer who played a significant role in promoting education and women's rights in the region.

Throughout its history, the LALLA surname has been associated with various professions, including business, politics, literature, and academia. While its origins can be traced back to the Indian subcontinent, the name has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lalla

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

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 Lalla was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 56.83% 416
Non-Hispanic Black Only 14.75% 108
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 20.77% 152
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.09% 8
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.83% 28
Hispanic Origin 2.73% 20

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 56.83% 62.32% -9.22%
Black 14.75% 11.11% 28.15%
Asian and Pacific Islander 20.77% 13.69% 41.09%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 1.09% 0.97% 11.65%
Two or More Races 3.83% 9.66% -86.43%
Hispanic 2.73% 2.25% 19.28%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Lalla last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 25, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/lalla-surname-popularity/.

"Lalla last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/lalla-surname-popularity/. Accessed 25 May, 2025

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

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