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

Lecona, 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 Lecona surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lecona in America

Lecona is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lecona surname appeared 173 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 Lecona.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lecona 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 Lecona

The surname LECONA is believed to have originated in Spain, specifically in the Basque region. It is thought to be derived from the Basque word "leku," meaning "place" or "location," combined with the suffix "-ona," indicating quality or goodness. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a desirable or exceptional place.

The earliest recorded instances of the name LECONA can be traced back to the 15th century in various historical documents from the Basque Country. One notable mention is found in the records of the village of Lekeitio, where a family bearing this surname is mentioned in connection with local land ownership and trade activities.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the LECONA name appears in various municipal records and census documents from cities like Bilbao and San Sebastian, indicating the family's presence and influence in these areas. Some historical figures bearing this surname include:

1. Juan de Lecona (c. 1520 - 1587), a prominent merchant and shipowner from Bilbao, known for his extensive trade networks across the Atlantic.
2. Maria Lecona (c. 1560 - 1632), a philanthropist and benefactor who founded a hospital for the poor in San Sebastian.
3. Pedro de Lecona (c. 1610 - 1678), a military officer who served in the Spanish Army during the Thirty Years' War and later became a respected local administrator in Bilbao.

As the Spanish Empire expanded across the Americas, some members of the LECONA family also ventured to the New World. Records show that in the late 17th century, a branch of the family settled in what is now Mexico, where they established themselves in various areas, including Veracruz and Puebla.

One notable figure from this period was:

4. Diego Lecona (c. 1670 - 1738), a landowner and rancher who played a significant role in the development of the cattle industry in the region of Jalisco, Mexico.

In the 19th century, the LECONA surname gained further recognition with the birth of:

5. Manuel Lecona (1826 - 1897), a renowned painter and sculptor from Bilbao, known for his works depicting scenes from Basque culture and traditions.

Throughout its history, the LECONA surname has maintained a strong association with its Basque roots, while also spreading to various parts of the world through migration and exploration.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lecona

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!