Lukas
A surname from the biblical name Luke, ultimately from a Latin form meaning “from Lucania” or possibly “light.”
The #8,408 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 78,561 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Lukas is a surname formed from the personal name Luke/Lukas. The name ultimately goes back to the Greek Loukas, usually taken as a shortened form of the Latin Lucanus, meaning “a man from Lucania” in southern Italy; some older writers also connected it with Latin lux, “light.” As a family name, it most often began as a patronymic: “son of Luke” or “descendant of someone named Lukas/Lucas.”
History
The form Lukas is especially common in German and several Slavic naming traditions, while related forms such as Lucas and Luke appear widely across Europe. Historical surname collections treat it as part of the broad family of names derived from St. Luke the Evangelist. In some regions it may also reflect direct use of the given name as a hereditary surname.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One of the historical notes ties Lukas to the widespread Christian name of St. Luke, whose name forms vary from language to language across Europe.
From the historical record
“Lueas II. lat zsgz. aus Lucanus „Lukaner^; Lucas der Evangelist FN. Lucas, Lukas — zsgz. Luks, Lux — Laux, Gen. Lueä, Südd. Patr. Luggiser (8. Reichel S. 23). Lnehterhand III. lucht = „link*^ (Lipp- Keg*)-”
— Die deutschen Familiennamen