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

Lapa, 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 Lapa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lapa in America

Lapa is the 49636th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lapa surname appeared 423 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 Lapa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lapa 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 Lapa

The surname LAPA has its origins in Portugal, with roots dating back to the 15th century. It is believed to have derived from the Portuguese word "lapa," meaning a rocky crevice or cave, suggesting that the name may have referred to someone who lived near or in such a geological formation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the LAPA surname can be found in the 16th-century Portuguese manuscript "Livro Antigo da Nobreza," which documented the noble families of the time. This manuscript mentions a certain Fernão da Lapa, who lived in the region of Alentejo during the late 15th century.

In the 17th century, the name LAPA appeared in various historical records across Portugal, particularly in the regions of Alentejo, Algarve, and the Azores. Notable individuals from this period include João da Lapa, a prominent landowner in the Algarve region, born in 1620, and Margarida da Lapa, a respected teacher and philanthropist in the city of Évora, who lived from 1665 to 1731.

As Portuguese explorers and settlers ventured to other parts of the world, the LAPA surname spread to various colonies and territories. In the 18th century, Francisco da Lapa, a merchant and landowner, established himself in Brazil, where his descendants continued to carry the surname.

Another notable figure in Portuguese history was José da Lapa, a military officer and administrator who lived from 1755 to 1829. He served in the Portuguese army during the Napoleonic Wars and later became a prominent figure in the colonial administration of Angola.

In the 19th century, the LAPA surname could be found in various parts of the Portuguese-speaking world, including Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, and Goa. One notable individual from this period was Rui da Lapa, a renowned writer and poet from Brazil, born in 1845, whose works explored themes of Brazilian identity and culture.

As the LAPA surname spread across different regions, it sometimes took on variations in spelling, such as Lappa or Lappe, particularly in areas where Portuguese was not the primary language. However, these variations ultimately traced back to the same Portuguese root.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lapa

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

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

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

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