Explore the Family Name Lessa
The meaning of Lessa
1. Portuguese: variant of Leça, a habitational name from any of various places in northern Portugal called Leça. 2. Italian (mainly Apulia): perhaps from the feminine form of the personal name Lesso, a short form of Alessio ‘Alexius’. This surname is very rare in Italy. Some characteristic forenames: Spanish Fabio, Jose, Claudio, Eduardo, Fernanda, Gustavo, Maria Jose, Pedro, Roberto. Italian Domenic, Francesca, Rocco.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Lessa in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Lessa has seen slight changes in its popularity between 2000 and 2010. The rank of the surname slightly dropped by 1.42%, moving from the 47,389th most common surname in 2000 to the 48,060th in 2010. Despite this drop in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the Lessa surname increased by 4.51%, from 421 in 2000 to 440 in 2010. However, when compared to the total population, the proportion of people named Lessa per 100k decreased by 6.25%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #47,389 | #48,060 | -1.42% |
| Count | 421 | 440 | 4.51% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.16 | 0.15 | -6.25% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Lessa
Regarding the ethnicity distribution associated with the Lessa surname, the Decennial U.S. Census reported some shifts between 2000 and 2010. The percentage of individuals identifying as White increased by 4.73% while those identifying as Hispanic decreased by 14.97%. Notably, there was a significant increase in persons identifying as Black under this surname, rising from 1.43% to 4.09%. Those reporting two or more races declined significantly from 8.31% to 2.73%. A new group emerged in 2010 with 1.82% of Lessas identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander; no such data was reported in 2000. There were no individuals identified as American Indian and Alaskan Native in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80.29% | 84.09% | 4.73% |
| Hispanic | 8.55% | 7.27% | -14.97% |
| Black | 1.43% | 4.09% | 186.01% |
| Two or More Races | 8.31% | 2.73% | -67.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 1.82% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |