2000
#15,154
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,785
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.66
Rare Last name
Mazzei
An Italian surname derived from a nickname for someone stout or burly.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,121 Americans carry the last name Mazzei. That puts it at #15,281 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,600 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mazzei surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 161,600
Census rank
#15,281
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,850 bearers of the surname Mazzei in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15281st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mazzei, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mazzei
The surname Mazzei is of Italian origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to have derived from the Italian word "mazza," meaning a club or mace, possibly indicating an occupation or profession associated with weaponry or combat.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mazzei can be found in the historic records of Florence, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various municipal documents and archives, suggesting its presence in the city's vibrant mercantile and artisan communities during that time period.
In the 14th century, a notable figure bearing the Mazzei name was Ser Andrea Mazzei, a prominent Florentine notary and diplomat who served in the court of the Medici family. His writings and correspondences provide valuable insights into the political and cultural landscape of Renaissance Florence.
The surname Mazzei also has a connection to the town of Castelnuovo di Val di Cecina in the province of Pisa, where a branch of the family settled in the 16th century. The Mazzei family was instrumental in the development of viticulture and winemaking in this region, establishing vineyards and producing high-quality wines that gained recognition throughout Italy.
One of the most notable figures in the Mazzei family was Filippo Mazzei (1730-1816), an Italian physician, merchant, and close friend of Thomas Jefferson. Mazzei played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, promoting the ideals of liberty and democracy. He later settled in Virginia and became a respected member of the local community.
Another prominent individual with the Mazzei surname was Angiolo Mazzei (1568-1635), a renowned Italian painter and architect from Florence. His works, including frescoes and architectural designs, can be found in various churches and buildings throughout Tuscany, showcasing the artistic talents of the Mazzei family.
During the 19th century, the Mazzei name gained further prominence with the birth of Giuseppe Mazzei (1806-1885), an Italian lawyer and politician who actively participated in the Risorgimento movement for Italian unification. He served as a member of the Italian Parliament and was a vocal advocate for liberal reforms and civil rights.
Throughout its history, the Mazzei surname has been carried by individuals who have left their mark in various fields, including politics, art, winemaking, and diplomacy, reflecting the diverse and accomplished nature of this Italian family name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mazzei
Among Census respondents with the surname Mazzei, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Mazzei bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mazzei surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.5% · 1,600
- Hispanic or Latino10.5% · 195
- Two or more races1.6% · 30
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 10
- Black or African American0.5% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mazzei
Mazzei appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#15,589
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,876
+91 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Down 435 places
2020
#15,281
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,850
-26 bearers (-1.4%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,154 | 1,785 | 0.66 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,589 | 1,876 | 0.64 | +91 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 435 places |
| 2020 | #15,281 | 1,850 | 0.62 | -26 bearers (-1.4%) | Up 308 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mazzei surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #15,589 | #15,281 | 2.0% |
| Count | 1,876 | 1,850 | -1.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.62 | -3.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mazzei bearers went from 1,876 to 1,850 (-1.4% change). The surname moved up 308 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,589 to #15,281.
FAQ
Mazzei surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mazzei?
Name Census estimates that about 2,121 living Americans carry the surname Mazzei. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,600 residents.
How common is Mazzei?
Mazzei ranks #15,281 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,850 people with the surname Mazzei. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,121), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mazzei.
Has Mazzei become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mazzei went from 1,876 recorded bearers to 1,850. That is a decrease of 26 (-1.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,589 to #15,281.
What does the Census say about the background of Mazzei?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mazzei, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.5%) and Two or More Races (1.6%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mazzei in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.5% (1,600 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mazzei appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.5%), Hispanic (10.5%), Two or More Races (1.6%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mazzei (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mazzei mean?
An Italian surname derived from a nickname for someone stout or burly. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mazzei (0.62 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Mazzei?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.