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

Loja, 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 Loja surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loja in America

Loja is the 18272nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loja surname appeared 1,520 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Loja.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loja 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 Loja

The surname LOJA is believed to have originated in Ecuador, where it is thought to have derived from the city of Loja, located in the southern part of the country. The city itself was named after the Loja culture, an indigenous group that inhabited the region during pre-Columbian times.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname LOJA can be found in the writings of the Spanish chronicler Pedro Cieza de León, who documented his travels through Ecuador in the 16th century. He mentions encountering individuals with the surname LOJA in the area around the city of the same name.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the surname LOJA was Francisco de Loja, a Spanish missionary who worked among the indigenous communities of Ecuador. He is known for his efforts in translating religious texts into local languages and for his work in establishing schools and churches in the region.

During the 18th century, the surname LOJA gained prominence with the birth of José Joaquín de LOJA (1718-1792), a Ecuadorian painter and sculptor who is considered one of the most influential artists of the colonial period in Ecuador. His works can be found in various churches and museums throughout the country.

Another significant figure was Manuel José de LOJA (1792-1865), a Ecuadorian statesman and politician who served as the President of Ecuador from 1859 to 1865. He played a crucial role in the country's political landscape during the mid-19th century.

In the 20th century, the surname LOJA was carried by the Ecuadorian writer and diplomat, Benjamín LOJA y Loja (1903-1978), who served as the country's ambassador to several nations and was known for his literary works, including novels and short stories.

While the surname LOJA is primarily associated with Ecuador, it is also found in other Spanish-speaking countries, likely due to migration and intermarriage over the centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the indigenous Loja culture and the city of the same name in southern Ecuador.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loja

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

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

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

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