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

Lerma, 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 Lerma surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lerma in America

Lerma is the 2852nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lerma surname appeared 12,639 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Lerma.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lerma 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 Lerma

The surname Lerma originates from Spain, with its roots traced back to the 11th century. It is believed to have emerged from the town of Lerma, located in the province of Burgos, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. This place name is derived from the Basque word "lerre," meaning "slope" or "hillside," indicating that the town was situated on a sloping terrain.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Lerma can be found in the medieval Codex Calixtinus, a 12th-century manuscript preserved in the Santiago de Compostela Cathedral in Galicia. This codex contains a record of pilgrims who traveled to the famous Santiago de Compostela, where the name Lerma is mentioned.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name Lerma was Álvaro de Lerma, a Spanish military commander who served under King Alfonso X of Castile and León. He played a crucial role in the conquest of Murcia and the Andalusian territories from the Moors in the mid-13th century.

During the 16th century, Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma (1553-1625), rose to prominence as a prominent Spanish statesman and the chief minister of King Philip III. He wielded significant power and influence during his tenure, shaping the political landscape of Spain.

Another notable figure with the surname Lerma was Juan de Lerma y Polanco (1557-1633), a Spanish military engineer and architect. He was responsible for the construction of several fortifications and defensive structures throughout Spain and its territories, including the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida.

In the realm of literature, Pedro Fernández de Velasco y Tovar, 6th Duke of Frías and Constable of Castile (1585-1649), is remembered for his patronage of the arts and his support for writers and poets during the Spanish Golden Age.

While the surname Lerma is widely associated with Spain and its historical figures, it has also spread to other regions due to migration and cultural exchanges. However, its origins can be firmly traced back to the town of Lerma in the Castilian region of Spain, where it first emerged as a distinctive surname in the Middle Ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lerma

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

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

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

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