Find out how popular the last name LaPira is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named LaPira.
A Spanish surname meaning a skinny or thin person.
LaPira, 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 LaPira surname is from the 2010 census data.
LaPira is the 103181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The LaPira surname appeared 174 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 LaPira.
We can also compare 2010 data for LaPira 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 | 103181 | 126400 | -20.23% |
| Count | 174 | 125 | 32.78% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.06 | 0.05 | 18.18% |
The surname LAPIRA has its origins in the Basque region of northern Spain and southern France, emerging in the late 15th century. It is believed to be derived from the Basque word "lapira," which means "blacksmith" or "forge." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a blacksmith or lived near a forge.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name LAPIRA can be found in a 1498 census record from the town of Bilbao, where a family with the surname is listed as residents. In the 16th century, the name appears in various municipal records and church archives throughout the Basque Country, indicating its widespread use in the region.
During the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the name LAPIRA was Juan de Lapira (1602-1672), a Basque merchant and ship owner who played a significant role in the trade between Spain and its colonies in the Americas. His successful business ventures contributed to the economic prosperity of the region.
In the 18th century, the name LAPIRA appears in connection with the village of Lapira in the province of Gipuzkoa, Basque Country. It is possible that the surname originated from this place name, although the exact relationship between the two is unclear.
Another prominent individual with the surname LAPIRA was María Lapira (1786-1856), a Basque author and educator who wrote several books on Basque language and culture. Her works were instrumental in preserving and promoting the Basque heritage during a time when it faced suppression.
As the 19th century dawned, the LAPIRA name spread beyond the Basque region due to migration and immigration. In 1842, a man named Pedro Lapira (1812-1889) emigrated from Spain to Argentina, where he became a successful rancher and landowner. His descendants continued to carry the LAPIRA surname in South America.
Over the centuries, variations in spelling and pronunciation of the name have emerged, such as Lapyre, Lapierre, and Lapière, reflecting the influence of different regional dialects and languages. However, the core meaning and connection to the Basque origins have remained intact.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname LaPira.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for LaPira was:
| Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Only | 41.95% | 73 |
| Non-Hispanic Black Only | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 49.43% | 86 |
| Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
| Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 3.45% | 6 |
| Hispanic Origin | 5.17% | 9 |
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 LaPira has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
| 2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 41.95% | 52.80% | -22.90% |
| Black | 0.00% | (S)% | (S)% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 49.43% | 39.20% | 23.08% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Two or More Races | 3.45% | 4.80% | -32.73% |
| Hispanic | 5.17% | (S)% | (S)% |
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 LaPira was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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