Explore the Family Name Lapa
The meaning of Lapa
1. Polish and Jewish (from Poland): nickname from Polish łapa ‘paw, flipper, mutton fist’. 2. Portuguese and Galician: habitational name from any of numerous places called Lapa, from lapa ‘cavern’ or from a short form of the Marian title Nossa Senhora da Lapa ‘Our Lady of Lapa’, the name of a Marian cult which developed after the finding in 1498 of a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary in a cavern in northern Portugal. 3. Albanian: nickname from lapë (definite form lapa) ‘loose piece of skin; dewlap, wattle’, also ‘deep wrinkle’. Some characteristic forenames: Jewish Eliyahu, Nachman, Nechama, Tzvi. Spanish Frederico, Juan, Leandro, Marilia, Miguel, Ricardo. Polish Pawel.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lapa in the United States?
The surname Lapa has seen a surge in popularity over the decade between 2000 and 2010, according to data from the Decennial U.S. Census. It rose from rank 53420 in 2000 to 49636 in 2010, marking an increase of 7.08%. The count of people with this surname also grew during this period, with a significant rise of 16.53% from 363 individuals in 2000 to 423 individuals in 2010. The proportion of people with the Lapa surname per 100,000 population saw a moderate increase of 7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #53,420 | #49,636 | 7.08% |
| Count | 363 | 423 | 16.53% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.14 | 7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lapa
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Lapa, data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows a shift over the years. In 2000, the majority of people with this surname identified as White (78.24%), followed by Hispanic (9.92%), Asian/Pacific Islander (6.06%) and those who identify with two or more races (5.51%). However, by 2010, while the majority still identified as White (75.18%), there was a noteworthy increase in those identifying as Hispanic, jumping to 14.42%. This represented a growth rate of 45.36%. There was also a slight increase among Asian/Pacific Islanders, rising up to 7.33%. Conversely, those identifying with two or more races reduced significantly to 2.13%, a decrease of 61.34%. The categories of Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native had no recorded data in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 78.24% | 75.18% | -3.91% |
| Hispanic | 9.92% | 14.42% | 45.36% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.06% | 7.33% | 20.96% |
| Two or More Races | 5.51% | 2.13% | -61.34% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |