Lechuga
A Spanish surname taken from the common word for “lettuce,” likely first used as a nickname or house name.
The #6,500 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 59,135 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lechuga is the Spanish word for “lettuce.” The word ultimately comes from Latin, through a form related to the plant name in post-classical usage. As a surname, it was most likely applied as a nickname, perhaps to someone associated with growing or selling vegetables, or as a house or field name based on a local feature.
History
The name is found in Spanish-speaking regions and later in the Americas through migration. As with many plant-based surnames, its exact first use is hard to pin down, and it may have developed independently in more than one place. In the United States it is present but not especially common, consistent with a surname carried by Spanish-speaking families.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is also an everyday Spanish noun, Lechuga is one of those surnames that can sound more like a nickname than a family name to modern ears.
From the historical record
“mujeres i¡ hembra de los animales vivíperos. Lechuga. Planta hortence bien conocida ¡ que mas co- mun:mente se come cruda en ensalada. Lechuyuilla. Ledo. Alegre, placentero Ledon. Aumentativo del anterior.”
— Diccionario de los apellidos