2000
#113,519
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 143
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zamperini
An Italian surname likely derived from the name Zampieri meaning "elf" or "goblin".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Zamperini. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zamperini 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Zamperini in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zamperini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zamperini
The surname Zamperini is of Italian origin, emerging from the northern regions of Italy, predominantly within Veneto. Tracing its roots back to the Medieval period, the name likely originated between the 12th and 14th centuries, a flourishing era for both population growth and documentation in Italy. The regions of Veneto, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna were key areas where this surname appeared.
Zamperini is derived from the given name Zampo, a nickname or diminutive of the word zan. This was a dialectal form of the name Giovanni (John) among the Venetians and Lombards. The suffix ini is a common Italian patronymic, indicating "son of" or "descendant of." Hence, Zamperini essentially translates to "descendant of Zampo."
The earliest documented instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, where it appeared in various land ownership and tax records. One of the earliest records is a mention of a Marco Zamperini in 1287 within the municipal archives of Verona, indicating his status as a landowner. This reference illustrates that members of the Zamperini family were established and integrated into the local nobility.
In the 15th century, records from Venice reveal a Pietro Zamperini, who was a prominent merchant. Born in 1423, he played a significant role in the trade between Venice and the Byzantine Empire. His business acumen contributed to the family's wealth and influence, cementing the Zamperini name in the annals of Venetian history.
The surname is also found in ecclesiastical records from the 17th century. Giovanni Maria Zamperini, born in 1605, became a notable figure in the Catholic Church, serving as a bishop in the town of Ferrara. His tenure until his death in 1675 was marked by significant contributions to the church's administration and local philanthropic efforts.
In the 19th century, another prominent figure was Luigi Zamperini, born in 1838 in Mantua. He was an acclaimed opera composer and conductor, whose works were performed in major Italian opera houses, including La Scala in Milan. His musical compositions remain a testament to the cultural reach of the Zamperini family.
A more recent historical figure is Louis Zamperini, born in 1917 in the United States to Italian immigrant parents from the Veneto region. A renowned Olympic athlete and World War II hero, his story of survival and resilience has been widely celebrated, adding a modern chapter to the rich history of the Zamperini name.
Throughout Italian history, the Zamperini surname has been associated with a variety of professions and social standings. From landowners to clergy, merchants to cultural contributors, the name has left an indelible mark on the regions where it was borne. The legacy of the Zamperinis continues to be recognized in historical texts and biographical accounts, celebrating their diverse contributions over centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zamperini
Among Census respondents with the surname Zamperini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zamperini 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 Zamperini surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zamperini
Zamperini 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
#125,282
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
-6 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 11,763 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-25 bearers (-18.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 22,672 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #113,519 | 143 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #125,282 | 137 | 0.05 | -6 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 11,763 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -25 bearers (-18.2%) | Down 22,672 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 Zamperini 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 | #125,282 | #147,954 | -18.1% |
| Count | 137 | 112 | -18.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -25.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zamperini bearers went from 137 to 112 (-18.2% change). The surname moved down 22,672 positions in the national ranking, going from #125,282 to #147,954.
FAQ
Zamperini surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zamperini?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Zamperini. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Zamperini?
Zamperini ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Zamperini. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Zamperini.
Has Zamperini become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zamperini went from 137 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 25 (-18.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #125,282 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Zamperini?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zamperini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Zamperini in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zamperini appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Hispanic (3.6%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%). 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 Zamperini (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 Zamperini mean?
An Italian surname likely derived from the name Zampieri meaning "elf" or "goblin". 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 Zamperini (0.04 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 Zamperini?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Zamperini on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.