2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Zagha
An Arabic surname commonly belonging to families hailing from Palestine.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Zagha. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zagha 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Zagha in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zagha, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zagha
The surname Zagha originates from the Middle Eastern region, specifically within the Arab world, with significant historical roots in Palestine. The name's etymology is somewhat obscure but is believed to be derived from Arabic. It bears similarity to the Arabic word "zagh," which translates to "he roared" or "he shouted." This word could metaphorically relate to a heraldic or warrior-like ancestor known for their commanding presence.
Zagha is most likely traced back to ancient Palestine, and its bearers were possibly involved in local governance or trade. Historic records indicate that the family name was prominent in cities such as Nablus and Jerusalem. The earliest instances of the surname Zagha can be found in Ottoman Empire records from the 16th century, wherein individuals bearing the name were noted as landholders and merchants.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Zagha was Yusuf Zagha, who appeared in mid-16th century records in Nablus. Yusuf Zagha was a respected merchant whose transactions in textile trade were documented in Ottoman tax registries. Another figure, Mahmoud Zagha, a scholar from Jerusalem in the early 17th century, was known for his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence and was mentioned in several scholarly manuscripts.
In the 18th century, Abdullah Zagha became a renowned figure in Nablus for his role in local politics and civic administration. His contributions to the community, particularly in the context of urban development, were frequently cited in contemporary municipal records. Moving into the 19th century, Fatima Zagha, born in 1821, was noted for her philanthropic efforts, establishing educational institutions for girls in Jerusalem.
The Zagha name persisted into the 20th century with individuals like Khalil Zagha, born in 1890, who was a prominent teacher and writer. His publications on Palestinian culture and history remain valuable resources for scholars studying the region's past.
Each of these historical figures provided a glimpse into the lives of individuals who carried the Zagha surname, illustrating their integral roles within their communities and their lasting legacies. The history of the name is rich with contributions to trade, politics, education, and scholarship, reflecting a deep connection to the cultural and social fabric of Palestine.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zagha
Among Census respondents with the surname Zagha, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zagha 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 Zagha surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.3% · 86
- Hispanic or Latino8.8% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zagha
Zagha appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,677 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 3,677 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 Zagha 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 | #158,432 | #154,755 | 2.3% |
| Count | 102 | 102 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 13.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zagha bearers went from 102 to 102 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 3,677 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #154,755.
FAQ
Zagha surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zagha?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Zagha. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Zagha?
Zagha ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 102 people with the surname Zagha. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zagha.
Has Zagha become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zagha went from 102 recorded bearers to 102. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Zagha?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zagha, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Zagha in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.3% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zagha appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.3%), Hispanic (8.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Zagha (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 Zagha mean?
An Arabic surname commonly belonging to families hailing from Palestine. 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 Zagha (0.03 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 people have the last name Zagha?
Find out how many people have the last name Zagha on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.