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

Lingala, 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 Lingala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lingala in America

Lingala is the 126018th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lingala surname appeared 136 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 Lingala.

The history of the last name Lingala

The surname LINGALA is believed to have originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire. It is derived from the Lingala language, one of the most widely spoken Bantu languages in the region. The Lingala language is primarily spoken in the western part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as in parts of the neighboring Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

The earliest known references to the surname LINGALA can be traced back to the late 19th century, when European explorers and missionaries began documenting the various ethnic groups and languages of the Congo region. Some of the earliest written records mentioning individuals with the LINGALA surname can be found in the archives of Catholic missionary societies and colonial administrations.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the LINGALA surname was Nzamba LINGALA, a prominent trader and interpreter who lived in the late 19th century. He was known for his fluency in several languages, including Lingala, and served as a vital link between European explorers and local communities.

Another notable figure in history with the LINGALA surname was Antoine LINGALA, a Congolese writer and poet who lived in the early 20th century. He is credited with contributing to the development of Lingala literature and promoting the use of the language in written form.

In the mid-20th century, a prominent Congolese politician and activist named Joseph LINGALA played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from Belgian colonial rule. He was a vocal advocate for the rights of the Congolese people and worked tirelessly to promote the use of indigenous languages, including Lingala, in education and public affairs.

The LINGALA surname has also been associated with certain place names in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in the Lingala-speaking regions. For example, the town of Lingala in the Équateur province is believed to have derived its name from the Lingala language or people with the LINGALA surname.

It is worth noting that the spelling of the surname LINGALA may have evolved over time, with variations such as LINGALLA or LINGAALA appearing in historical records. Additionally, the surname may have been influenced by the migration patterns of Lingala-speaking communities within the Congo region and across borders.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lingala

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

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 Lingala 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.

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Lingala, 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!