Lua
A rare surname that may be a shortened or adapted form from several different linguistic backgrounds, but its exact origin is unclear.
The #9,023 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 85,195 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The available historical excerpts do not give a clear, direct derivation for Lua as a surname. Because the form is short and appears in different contexts, it may reflect an adapted spelling from another name or word in a language such as Portuguese, Spanish, or a non-English source. As a surname, however, its precise root is not established from the evidence here.
History
The surname is uncommon in the United States and appears to be relatively rare in the historical record available here. The excerpts provided do not contain a solid dictionary entry for Lua itself, so there is no reliable historical trail to summarize from these sources alone.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because it is so short, Lua is the kind of surname that can easily be confused with unrelated words or names in old records, which makes its history especially tricky to pin down.
From the historical record
“Hfliry BibWrrnv, of Collam, 15531 lua. lacobu Biltyiboroo : Preiton ]6oa. Henry Bllliiborove: ibid- p. ^i- 164a. Rkhaid Biliborowe ; ibid. p. 96. Mancheater. a. Ck o. o, c^ n^ o; Prcalon.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with special American instances