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

Lepez, 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 Lepez surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lepez in America

Lepez is the 56836th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lepez surname appeared 359 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 Lepez.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lepez 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 Lepez

The surname LEPEZ has its origins in Spain, where it first emerged during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Spanish word "lepra," which means "leprosy." The name likely referred to someone who had been affected by this disease or worked in a leprosarium, an institution that cared for leprosy patients.

The earliest recorded instances of the LEPEZ surname can be found in various historical documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in regions such as Catalonia and Aragon. It was often spelled in different ways, including Lepez, Lepecz, and Lepez, reflecting the variations in the language at the time.

One notable figure bearing the LEPEZ surname was Juan Lepez, a prominent merchant from Barcelona who lived in the late 14th century. Historical records indicate that he was involved in the lucrative trade of spices and textiles with the Mediterranean region.

In the 15th century, the LEPEZ name appeared in several municipal records in the city of Valencia. One such record mentions a certain Pedro Lepez, who served as a councilman in the local government during the reign of King Alfonso V of Aragon.

As the Spanish empire expanded in the 16th and 17th centuries, the LEPEZ surname began to spread to other parts of the world. One notable individual was Hernán Lepez, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés. He was born in Seville in 1492 and died in Mexico City in 1547.

Another significant figure was María Lepez, a renowned playwright and poet from Madrid who lived during the Golden Age of Spanish literature in the 17th century. She was born in 1589 and is best known for her satirical works that criticized the societal norms of her time.

In the 18th century, the LEPEZ surname found its way to the Americas, particularly in regions that were part of the Spanish colonial empire. One notable example is Miguel Lepez, a prominent landowner and rancher in the province of Río de la Plata (present-day Argentina) who lived from 1723 to 1798.

Throughout its history, the LEPEZ surname has been associated with various professions, including merchants, artisans, soldiers, and intellectuals. While its origins may have been linked to leprosy, the name has evolved and taken on new meanings over time, reflecting the diverse experiences of those who have carried it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lepez

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

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

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

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