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

Lua, 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 Lua surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lua in America

Lua is the 9023rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lua surname appeared 3,624 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 Lua.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lua 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 Lua

The surname Lua has its origins in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in the regions of Portugal and Spain. It is believed to have originated during the medieval period, likely between the 10th and 13th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Lua can be found in the "Livro Velho de Linhagens" (Old Book of Lineages), a Portuguese genealogical text from the 13th century. This surname is thought to be derived from the Latin word "luna," meaning "moon," or the Portuguese word "lua," which also means "moon."

Some historians suggest that the name Lua may have been initially given to individuals who were born at night or under the light of the moon. It could also have been used as a descriptive name for someone with a moon-like complexion or appearance.

In the 14th century, the name Lua appeared in various records and documents from the Kingdom of Portugal. One notable figure from this time was João Lua, a Portuguese nobleman and knight who served under King Afonso IV in the early 1300s.

During the 15th century, the Lua surname spread throughout the Iberian Peninsula and eventually to the New World as Portuguese and Spanish explorers and settlers embarked on their voyages of discovery. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in the Americas was Diego Lua, a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés in the early 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Lua surname gained prominence in Brazil, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was Antônio Lua de Sá, a Portuguese-Brazilian military commander and governor of Rio de Janeiro in the mid-1600s.

Another notable figure with the Lua surname was José Lua, a Spanish painter and engraver from the 18th century, known for his religious and historical works.

Throughout the 19th century, the Lua surname continued to be present across the Iberian Peninsula, as well as in Latin American countries with significant Portuguese and Spanish influences. One example is Manuel Lua, a Chilean politician and diplomat who served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the late 1800s.

While the surname Lua has a rich history and can be traced back centuries, it is important to note that this information is based on historical records and may not reflect the complete picture of the name's origins and evolution over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lua

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

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

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

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