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

Lima, 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 Lima surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lima in America

Lima is the 1882nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lima surname appeared 19,109 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Lima.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lima 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 Lima

The surname Lima has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Portugal and Spain. It emerged during the medieval period, likely derived from the Latin word "limus," meaning "mud" or "slime." This connection suggests that the name may have initially referred to individuals who lived near marshy or muddy areas.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lima can be traced back to the 12th century in Portugal. In the Cartulário de Pendorada, a medieval document from the monastery of Pendorada, the name appears as "Limam" in reference to a landowner or tenant.

The name Lima is also closely associated with the city of Lima, the capital of Peru. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the region in the 16th century, they encountered an indigenous settlement called Limaq, which they later renamed Lima. It is possible that some individuals adopted the surname Lima after the establishment of the Spanish colony.

In the Iberian Peninsula, the name Lima can be found in various historical records and documents, such as the Livro Velho de Linhagens (Old Book of Lineages) from the 13th century, which chronicles the genealogies of noble Portuguese families.

Notable individuals with the surname Lima throughout history include:

1. António de Lima (1570-1631), a Portuguese Jesuit missionary and explorer who traveled extensively in Asia and Africa.
2. José Joaquim de Lima e Silva (1756-1835), a Brazilian poet and playwright known as the "Father of the Brazilian Theater."
3. Manuel de Lima (1670-1736), a Spanish architect who designed several notable buildings in Madrid, including the Royal Palace of Aranjuez.
4. María de Lima (1594-1640), a Spanish mystic and Discalced Carmelite nun who is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church.
5. Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, Marquês de Pombal (1699-1782), a Portuguese statesman and reformer who used the title "Conde de Oeiras e Lima" as part of his noble titles.

While the surname Lima has its roots in the Iberian Peninsula, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly Latin America and regions with significant Portuguese and Spanish influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lima

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

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

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

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