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

Loa, 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 Loa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loa in America

Loa is the 23397th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loa surname appeared 1,087 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 Loa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loa 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 Loa

The surname LOA is believed to have originated in Spain during the medieval period. It is thought to derive from the Spanish word "loa", which means "praise" or "commendation". This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname bestowed upon someone who was widely praised or admired within their community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the 14th-century records of the Monastery of San Millán de la Cogolla in La Rioja, Spain. These records mention a certain "Pedro Loa", who was a prominent landowner and benefactor of the monastery during that time.

In the 15th century, the surname appears to have spread beyond Spain to other parts of Europe, including France and Italy. This was likely due to the increased mobility of people during the Renaissance period. One notable figure from this era was Girolamo Loa, an Italian painter and architect who lived from around 1440 to 1508.

By the 16th century, the name had also reached the Americas, carried by Spanish colonists and settlers. One of the earliest recorded examples in the New World is Juan Loa, a Spanish soldier who participated in the conquest of Mexico under Hernán Cortés in the 1520s.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Loa family settled in the Netherlands, where they were involved in the Dutch East India Company's trade with Asia. One prominent member of this family was Pieter Loa (1632-1701), a merchant and ship owner who made several voyages to the East Indies.

Moving into the 18th century, the name Loa can be found in various parts of Europe and the Americas. One notable figure from this period was Miguel Loa (1718-1792), a Spanish naval officer who served as the governor of Spanish Florida from 1781 to 1784.

As the centuries progressed, the name continued to spread and diversify, with various spellings and variations emerging in different regions. However, the core meaning and historical significance of the name remains rooted in its Spanish origins and the concept of praise or commendation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loa

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

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

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

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