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

Zamora, 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 Zamora surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zamora in America

Zamora is the 540th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zamora surname appeared 61,729 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 21 people would have the surname Zamora.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zamora 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 Zamora

The surname Zamora has its origins in Spain, specifically in the region of Castile and León. It is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, between the 11th and 13th centuries. The name is derived from the Spanish city of Zamora, which was an important center during the Reconquista, the period of Christian conquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

Zamora, the city, was first mentioned in written records during the 7th century, and its name is thought to have originated from the Celtiberian language, although its exact meaning is uncertain. Some scholars suggest it may be related to the word "samora," which means "circle" or "enclosure," referring to the city's fortifications.

In the 10th century, the city of Zamora played a significant role in the struggle between the Christian kingdoms of León and Navarre. It was at this time that the surname Zamora likely emerged, as people began to adopt the name of their place of origin or residence.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zamora can be found in the Becerro de las Behetrías, a medieval census document from the 14th century, which lists several individuals with the name Zamora living in the region of Castile and León.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the surname Zamora. One of the earliest was Pedro Núñez de Zamora (c. 1230-1300), a Spanish clergyman and philosopher who served as a tutor to King Sancho IV of Castile. Another prominent figure was Juan de Zamora (c. 1350-1416), a Spanish theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Salamanca.

During the 16th century, the name Zamora gained recognition through the exploits of conquistadors and explorers in the New World. One such individual was Pedro de Zamora (c. 1490-1550), a Spanish conquistador who participated in the conquest of Mexico alongside Hernán Cortés.

In the literary world, the surname Zamora is associated with the Spanish writer and poet Antonio de Zamora (1663-1728), known for his contributions to the Spanish Golden Age of literature.

Another notable figure was Juan de Zamora (1575-1644), a Spanish painter and engraver who worked in the Baroque style and was known for his religious paintings and engravings.

These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the surname Zamora, a name with deep roots in the Spanish regions of Castile and León and a rich historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zamora

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

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 Zamora 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 Zamora 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 Zamora was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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