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

Loretto, 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 Loretto surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loretto in America

Loretto is the 38439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loretto surname appeared 576 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 Loretto.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loretto 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 Loretto

The surname Loretto has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Lombardy. It is believed to have first emerged in the 12th century, derived from the Italian place name "Loreto," which itself comes from the Latin word "Lauretum," meaning "laurel grove."

One of the earliest known references to the name Loretto can be found in the 13th century records of the city of Bergamo, located in Lombardy. These records mention a family with the surname Loretto, suggesting that the name was already well-established in the area by that time.

The name Loretto is closely associated with the town of Loreto in the Marche region of Italy, which is home to the Basilica della Santa Casa, a renowned Catholic shrine. This connection may have contributed to the spread of the surname among devout Catholics in various parts of Italy and beyond.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Pietro Loretto (1416-1492) was a renowned Italian architect and sculptor. He is best known for his work on the Certosa di Pavia, a magnificent monastery and church complex near Milan.

Another individual of historical significance was Girolamo Loretto (1525-1592), an Italian jurist and legal scholar from Genoa. He was widely respected for his contributions to the field of law and served as a judge in various courts throughout his career.

Moving into the 16th century, we find Marcantonio Loretto (1556-1624), an Italian painter from Bergamo who specialized in religious works. His paintings can be found in churches and galleries across Italy, showcasing his skill and devotion to his craft.

In the 17th century, Stefano Loretto (1638-1713) was a notable Italian composer and organist from Bologna. He composed numerous works for the church, including masses, motets, and other sacred music, which were widely performed during his lifetime.

Lastly, in the 19th century, we have Giuseppe Loretto (1819-1892), an Italian politician and lawyer from Naples. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was actively involved in the unification movement that led to the creation of the Kingdom of Italy.

While the surname Loretto has its roots in Italy, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Italian immigrants and their descendants. However, the historical records and notable figures mentioned above provide a glimpse into the rich heritage and significance of this surname within the Italian context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loretto

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

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

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

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