Lucas

Lucas is a masculine given name and a surname of Latin origin. It derives from the Latin name Lucas, which is associated with Saint Luke the Evangelist. The form is commonly linked to the Greek Loukas, meaning “from Lucania,” a region in southern Italy, though etymology is sometimes described as having multiple influences. The name has been widely used in Europe and the Americas and has variants such as Luke, Lukas, Luca, and Luka; feminine forms include Lucia and Lucía.

Notable people with the name or surname include the American filmmaker George Lucas, founder of Lucasfilm; the German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder; the Brazilian footballer Lucas Moura; and the American actor Lucas Hedges. The surname Lucas also appears in many cultures around the world.

In mathematics, the Lucas sequence is named after the French mathematician Édouard Lucas. It is defined by L0 = 2, L1 = 1 and Ln = Ln−1 + Ln−2 for n ≥ 2, and it is closely related to the Fibonacci numbers.

Lucas is also used in geography and industry. There is a city named Lucas in Kansas, as well as Lucas County in Ohio and other jurisdictions that bear the name. Lucasfilm, the film production company founded by George Lucas, is a notable corporate usage of the name.