Zampa last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zampa

A surname of Italian origin meaning "paw" or "foot".

Zampa, 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 Zampa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zampa in America

Zampa is the 126765th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zampa surname appeared 135 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 Zampa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zampa 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 126765 111740 12.60%
Count 135 146 -7.83%
Proportion per 100k 0.05 0.05 0.00%

The history of the last name Zampa

The surname Zampa is of Italian origin, first appearing in historical records around the Late Middle Ages. The name is particularly prevalent in the regions of Lombardy and Tuscany, which were once bustling centers of commerce and culture. The etymology of Zampa likely derives from the Italian word zampa, meaning "paw," which may have originally referred to a family trait or a profession, such as someone who worked with animals or was known for being agile.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zampa appears in the archives of the Florence City Council in the late 14th century, specifically in 1387, when a Giovanni Zampa is documented as a local merchant. Florence was a major hub during the Renaissance, and the name emerging in this locale suggests the family might have been involved in trade or the arts. In nearby Lombardy, records from the early 15th century mention a Matteo Zampa in Milan, denoting the family's expansion in northern Italy.

An examination of notable individuals with the surname Zampa includes Alvisio Zampa, born in 1502 and died in 1571, who was a well-known sculptor from Lucca. His works contributed to the embellishment of several Tuscan churches and public buildings. Another significant figure is the composer Gaspare Zampa, born in 1710 and deceased in 1784, who was associated with the Venetian School of music. His operas were performed across Italy and garnered significant acclaim during his lifetime.

In the annals of notarial records, a Bartolomeo Zampa is mentioned in 1604 in the town of Siena, where he served as a notary. This documentation reflects the diversified roles individuals with the surname held throughout Italy. In the 19th century, Carlo Zampa (1845–1910), a prominent Italian journalist and editor, made his mark in Turin by founding one of the city's longest-running newspapers.

Throughout history, the surname Zampa has been borne by individuals who contributed to varying aspects of Italian culture and society. Their presence in historical documents underscores the surname's longstanding heritage and its connection to different professional sectors in Italy. This rich historical tapestry illustrates the dynamic roles played by the Zampa family from the Renaissance to the modern period.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zampa

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

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 Zampa was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.59% 125
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Zampa has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.59% 91.10% 1.62%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 6.16% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Zampa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 18, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zampa-surname-popularity/.

"Zampa last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zampa-surname-popularity/. Accessed 18 May, 2025

Zampa last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zampa-surname-popularity/.

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