2000
#15,299
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,763
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.65
Rare Last name
Lama
A Tibetan surname referring to a spiritual leader or priest, derived from the Tibetan word "bla-ma."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,204 Americans carry the last name Lama. That puts it at #7,106 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 65,864 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Lama surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Lama with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.2K
1 in 65,864
Census rank
#7,106
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,538 bearers of the surname Lama in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7106th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Lama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are White (15.9%) and Hispanic (11.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Lama
The surname Lama has its origins in Spain, dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Spanish word "lama," which means "mud" or "sludge." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a muddy area or worked with mud.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Lama surname can be found in the Catalonian region of Spain, where it was spelled "Llama." This variation in spelling likely arose due to the influence of the Catalan language, which has a distinct pronunciation and spelling system.
In the 13th century, the name appears in several historical documents from the Kingdom of Aragon, such as land records and tax rolls. One notable figure bearing this surname was Pedro Lama, a merchant from Zaragoza who lived in the late 1200s.
As the name spread across Spain, it took on various spellings, including "Llama," "Lhama," and "Lama." This diversity in spelling reflects the regional variations in language and dialects within the country.
In the 16th century, the Lama surname gained prominence with the birth of Juan de Lama (1510-1583), a Spanish explorer and navigator who accompanied Francisco Pizarro on his expeditions to South America. Juan de Lama played a crucial role in the conquest of Peru and is remembered for his detailed accounts of the Inca Empire.
Another notable figure with the Lama surname was Bartolomé Lama (1560-1625), a Spanish painter and sculptor from Seville. His works, which included religious art and portraiture, can be found in churches and museums across Spain.
During the colonial era, the Lama surname traveled to the Americas with Spanish settlers and explorers. One such individual was Diego de Lama (1620-1688), a Spanish soldier and administrator who served as the governor of the Philippines from 1673 to 1678.
In the 19th century, José María Lama (1785-1853) was a prominent figure in the Spanish American Wars of Independence. He was a military leader and statesman who played a crucial role in the liberation of Venezuela from Spanish rule.
Over the centuries, the Lama surname has been carried by many individuals from various walks of life, including artists, scholars, and political figures. While its origins may have been humble, the name has evolved to hold a rich historical legacy spanning continents and cultures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Lama
Among Census respondents with the surname Lama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are White (15.9%) and Hispanic (11.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Lama bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Lama surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander70.0% · 3,175
- White15.9% · 720
- Hispanic or Latino11.0% · 500
- Two or more races2.2% · 101
- Black or African American0.8% · 38
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Lama
Lama appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,782
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,958
+1,195 bearers (+67.8%)
Per 100,000 1.00
Rank movement Up 4,517 places
2020
#7,106
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,538
+1,580 bearers (+53.4%)
Per 100,000 1.52
Rank movement Up 3,676 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,299 | 1,763 | 0.65 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,782 | 2,958 | 1.00 | +1,195 bearers (+67.8%) | Up 4,517 places |
| 2020 | #7,106 | 4,538 | 1.52 | +1,580 bearers (+53.4%) | Up 3,676 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Lama surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,782 | #7,106 | 34.1% |
| Count | 2,958 | 4,538 | 53.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.00 | 1.52 | 51.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Lama bearers went from 2,958 to 4,538 (+53.4% change). The surname moved up 3,676 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,782 to #7,106.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Lama
FAQ
Lama surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Lama?
Name Census estimates that about 5,204 living Americans carry the surname Lama. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 65,864 residents.
How common is Lama?
Lama ranks #7,106 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.52 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,538 people with the surname Lama. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,204), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.52 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.52 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Lama.
Has Lama become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Lama went from 2,958 recorded bearers to 4,538. That is an increase of 1,580 (+53.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #10,782 to #7,106.
What does the Census say about the background of Lama?
Among Census respondents with the surname Lama, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 70.0%. The next largest groups are White (15.9%) and Hispanic (11.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Lama in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.0% (3,175 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Lama appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (70.0%), White (15.9%), Hispanic (11.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Lama (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Lama mean?
A Tibetan surname referring to a spiritual leader or priest, derived from the Tibetan word "bla-ma." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Lama (1.52 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Lama?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Lama on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.