Find out how popular the last name Zaiter is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Zaiter.

Zaiter, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Zaiter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zaiter in America

Zaiter is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zaiter surname appeared 173 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Zaiter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zaiter to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Zaiter

The surname Zaiter has its origins in the Levant region, more specifically from Arabic-speaking populations in the Middle East. The name is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. It is primarily found in countries such as Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.

The name Zaiter is derived from the Arabic word "zayt," meaning "olive oil." Given the importance of olive oil in the Mediterranean culture, those associated with the production or trade of this commodity often took on this name. The suffix "er" is thought to be an occupational suffix, indicating someone who works with or trades in olive oil.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Zaiter appear in medieval manuscripts and trade records. In the 14th-century trade logs from the Levantine coast, merchants bearing the name Zaiter are mentioned as traders dealing in olive oil and other agricultural products.

One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was Ahmad Zaiter, a 15th-century olive oil merchant from the coastal town of Sidon in present-day Lebanon. His trade records from the early 1400s illustrate the economic activities and travel routes of the time.

Another notable figure is Yusuf Zaiter, a scholar and poet from the 16th century. Born in Damascus in 1523, he was renowned for his works in Arabic literature and his contributions to local educational institutions until his death in 1585.

In the 18th century, the name is found in records from the Ottoman Empire, where Ibrahim Zaiter served as a local official in the city of Aleppo. Born in 1731 and passing away in 1802, Ibrahim played a significant role in the administrative organization of the region.

The 19th-century historical landscape saw the prominent Philanthropist Fatima Zaiter, born in 1827 in Beirut. She established several charitable organizations aiding the poor and marginalized in the region until her death in 1898.

In the early 20th century, another notable individual was Khalil Zaiter, a journalist and political activist born in 1889 in Jerusalem. He was a significant voice in the Arab nationalist movements and related publications until his arrest and subsequent death in 1937.

The surname Zaiter reflects a rich tapestry of historical roles, from merchants and scholars to philanthropists and political activists, each contributing to their communities and leaving legacies that extended far beyond their lifetimes.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zaiter

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Zaiter.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Zaiter was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Zaiter has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Zaiter was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zaiter, please contact us.

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