Explore the Family Name Laska
The meaning of Laska
1. Polish and Jewish (eastern Ashkenazic) (also Łaska): from the Polish word łaska ‘grace, favor’, or possibly from a homonym meaning ‘weasel’. As a Polish name, this is a nickname; as a Jewish name it is generally artificial. 2. Polish: from laska ‘stick, walking stick’, a nickname for a tall, thin man. 3. Czech and Slovak (Láska): nickname or status name based on láska ‘love’, denoting a person who took on some burden such as serfdom ‘out of love’ i.e. voluntarily. 4. Czech (Moravian; Laška): from a pet form of the personal name Ladislav (see Lada 1). 5. Hungarian: from laska ‘pastry’, probably a metathesized form of Slovak lokša or Ukrainian lóksa, hence a metonymic occupational name for a pastry cook. In Hungarian laska also denotes a type of mushroom, and in some cases the surname may have arisen as a nickname from this sense. Some characteristic forenames: Polish Tadeusz, Casimir, Henryka, Ireneusz, Jadwiga, Jozef, Kazimierz, Urszula, Zygmund.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Laska in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the popularity of the surname Laska has seen minor fluctuations between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname changed slightly, moving from 18634 to 18849, marking a decrease of 1.15%. However, the count or total number of individuals with this surname increased by 6.46%, going from 1363 in 2000 to 1451 in 2010. Despite the rise in count, the proportion per 100k people dropped by 3.92% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #18,634 | #18,849 | -1.15% |
| Count | 1,363 | 1,451 | 6.46% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.51 | 0.49 | -3.92% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Laska
When it comes to ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals some changes associated with the surname Laska between 2000 and 2010. White individuals formed the most significant percentage, although there was a slight decrease from 97.29% to 96.28%. There were no recorded instances of Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native holders of the surname in 2000, but by 2010, Asian/Pacific Islanders made up a small fraction at 0.62%. Interestingly, the Hispanic representation saw a growth of 62.71%, albeit from a smaller base. The category of "Two or more races" decreased by 9.94%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.29% | 96.28% | -1.04% |
| Two or More Races | 1.61% | 1.45% | -9.94% |
| Hispanic | 0.59% | 0.96% | 62.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0.62% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |