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

Laura, 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 Laura surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Laura in America

Laura is the 14155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Laura surname appeared 2,122 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Laura.

We can also compare 2010 data for Laura 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 Laura

The surname Laura originated in Italy during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the ancient Roman name Laurus, meaning "laurel tree." This evergreen plant was associated with victory, honor, and success in ancient Rome, and its branches were often woven into crowns or wreaths worn by victorious leaders and poets.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Laura can be traced back to the 11th century in various regions of Italy, such as Tuscany, Umbria, and Lazio. The name was likely adopted as a surname by families residing near groves of laurel trees or involved in the cultivation or trade of these plants.

In the 13th century, the surname Laura appeared in the historic records of the city of Florence, where a prominent family bearing this name held influential positions within the local government. One notable member was Neri di Laura, who served as a magistrate and ambassador for the Florentine Republic in the late 1200s.

During the Renaissance period, the surname Laura gained further recognition due to the works of the Italian poet Francesco Petrarca (1304-1374), who immortalized his unrequited love for a woman named Laura in his poetic masterpiece, the Canzoniere. Although the identity of this Laura remains a subject of debate among scholars, her name became synonymous with idealized feminine beauty and virtue.

Other notable individuals with the surname Laura throughout history include:

1. Giovanni Battista Laura (1612-1637), an Italian painter and engraver from Rome, known for his religious works and landscapes.
2. Filippo Laura (1670-1732), an Italian architect and engineer from Naples, who designed several churches and palaces in his native city.
3. Antonio Laura (1733-1804), an Italian mathematician and astronomer from Naples, who made significant contributions to the study of celestial mechanics.
4. Girolamo Laura (1792-1861), an Italian patriot and revolutionary from Calabria, who fought against the Bourbon monarchy during the Risorgimento period.
5. Salvatore Laura (1888-1952), an Italian-American sculptor from Naples, who created numerous public monuments and memorials in the United States.

The surname Laura has also been associated with various place names throughout Italy, such as Laura di Bianco in Calabria, Laura di Monferrato in Piedmont, and Laura Vecchia in Tuscany, suggesting the widespread presence of families bearing this name across different regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Laura

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

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

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

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