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

Lanza, 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 Lanza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lanza in America

Lanza is the 5923rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lanza surname appeared 5,819 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 Lanza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lanza 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 Lanza

The surname Lanza originated in Italy, specifically in the regions of Tuscany and Lombardy. It is derived from the Italian word "lancia," which means "lance" or "spear." This suggests that the name may have initially been an occupational name for a soldier or a person skilled in using a lance or a spear.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Lanza can be traced back to the 13th and 14th centuries in various Italian documents and records. One notable example is the mention of a Lanza family in the historical records of the city of Verona in the 14th century.

In the 15th century, the name Lanza appeared in the Florentine Catasto, a census-like document that recorded the names and properties of citizens in Florence. This indicates the presence of the Lanza family in the Tuscan region during that time.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Lanza was Giovanni Lanza (1451-1537), an Italian poet and humanist from Veneto. He was renowned for his Latin poetry and served as a diplomat for the Republic of Venice.

Another notable figure with this surname was Andrea Lanza (1628-1713), an Italian painter and architect from Sicily. He was known for his Baroque-style paintings and his architectural work on several churches in Palermo.

In the 19th century, Giovanni Lanza (1810-1882) was an Italian statesman and politician who served as the Prime Minister of Italy from 1869 to 1873. He played a crucial role in the unification of Italy and the establishment of the Kingdom of Italy.

Another prominent individual with the surname Lanza was Pietro Lanza di Scalea (1828-1901), an Italian politician and nobleman from Sicily. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was known for his conservative political views.

In the 20th century, Mario Lanza (1921-1959) was an American tenor and film actor of Italian descent. He rose to fame for his operatic performances and his portrayal of operatic characters in several Hollywood films, including "The Great Caruso" and "Serenade."

These are just a few examples of individuals with the surname Lanza throughout history, showcasing the name's Italian origin and its presence across various regions of Italy over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lanza

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

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

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

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