Laskaris last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Laskaris

A Greek surname derived from an occupational term for a soldier or guard.

Laskaris, 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 Laskaris surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laskaris in America

Laskaris is the 51281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laskaris surname appeared 406 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 Laskaris.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laskaris 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.

20102000Change (%)
Rank51281493663.81%
Count4064001.49%
Proportion per 100k0.140.15-6.90%

The history of the last name Laskaris

The surname Laskaris originated in Greece, with roots that can be traced back to the Byzantine era. It is derived from the Greek word "laskaris," which means "guard" or "soldier." This name was likely given to individuals who served as guardsmen or soldiers during the Byzantine Empire.

The earliest known references to the name Laskaris can be found in Byzantine chronicles and records from the 11th and 12th centuries. One notable figure was Theodore I Laskaris, who was the Emperor of Nicaea from 1204 to 1222. He played a crucial role in preserving the Byzantine Empire after the sacking of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Constantine Laskaris, a Byzantine scholar and diplomat who lived in the 15th century. He was instrumental in facilitating the transfer of Greek manuscripts and texts to the West, contributing to the Renaissance and the preservation of ancient Greek literature.

In the 16th century, the Laskaris family had established itself as a noble and influential family in the Venetian-controlled Ionian Islands. One notable member was Marco Antonio Laskaris, born in 1493, who served as the Prince of Naxos and Duke of the Archipelago.

As the Byzantine Empire declined and the Ottoman Empire rose, many Greeks with the surname Laskaris migrated to other parts of Europe and the Mediterranean region. In the 18th century, a branch of the family settled in Italy, where they became known as the Lascaris or Lascari family.

During the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in the early 19th century, several individuals with the surname Laskaris played significant roles. Panagiotis Laskaris, born in 1788, was a prominent military leader and fought in numerous battles against the Ottoman forces.

Throughout history, the surname Laskaris has been associated with military service, scholarship, and noble lineage. While its origins can be traced back to the Byzantine era, it has since spread across various regions, reflecting the migration patterns of Greeks and the influence of the Byzantine Empire.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laskaris

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

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 Laskaris was:

Race/EthnicityPercentageTotal Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only96.80%393
Non-Hispanic Black Only0.00%0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only(S)%(S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races(S)%(S)
Hispanic Origin1.97%8

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

20102000Change (%)
White96.80%96.25%0.57%
Black0.00%0.00%0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander(S)%0.00%(S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0.00%0.00%0.00%
Two or More Races(S)%2.25%(S)%
Hispanic1.97%1.50%27.09%

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

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

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