The name Male Lašče literally means 'little Lašče', distinguishing the town from the neighboring town of Velike Lašče (literally, 'big Lašče'). The name of the settlements was first attested in written sources in 1145 as Lasis (and as Lasissa in 1251, and Lasitsch in 1256). The medieval transcriptions indicate that the name was originally *Lašiče, an accusative plural form of the patronymicLašič, derived from the name Lah—thus meaning 'the place where Lah's people live'. The name Lah is derived from Vlah and originally referred to the Romanized Celtic population, and later to Romance speakers, including Italians and Uskoks.[4] In the past the German name was Kleinlaschitz.[2]
Church
The local church, built in the southern part of the settlement next to the main road from Rašica to Velike Lašče, is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and belongs to the Parish of Velike Lašče. It was built in 1728 and contains frescos dating to 1735.[5]