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

Loyola, 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 Loyola surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Loyola in America

Loyola is the 9279th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Loyola surname appeared 3,508 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 Loyola.

We can also compare 2010 data for Loyola 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 Loyola

The surname Loyola originated in the Basque region of Spain. It is derived from the Basque place name Loiola, which refers to a locality situated near Azpeitia in the province of Gipuzkoa. The name Loiola itself is believed to be derived from the Basque words "loi" meaning mud and "ola" meaning a flat area or meadow, suggesting a muddy or marshy place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Loyola can be found in the 13th century, when Beltran Yañez de Loyola was mentioned in a document from the year 1251. This document was related to a dispute over a piece of land in the town of Azpeitia.

The Loyola family gained prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries, with several members holding influential positions in the region. One of the most notable individuals bearing this surname was Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556), a Spanish knight who later became a priest and founded the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits.

Another notable figure was Juan de Loyola (c. 1485-1548), who was a Spanish explorer and conquistador. He accompanied Hernán Cortés on his expedition to Mexico and participated in the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

In the 17th century, Martín García de Loyola (1549-1599) was a Spanish admiral and explorer who led several expeditions to the Pacific Ocean and the Strait of Magellan.

The surname Loyola also appeared in various historical documents and records from the Basque region, such as the Fueros de Vizcaya (a collection of laws and privileges) and the Libro de Armería (a book of heraldry).

Throughout history, the name Loyola has been associated with individuals from diverse fields, including religion, exploration, and military service, reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the Basque region and its influence on Spanish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Loyola

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

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

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

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