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

Zanelli, 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 Zanelli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zanelli in America

Zanelli is the 58182nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zanelli surname appeared 349 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 Zanelli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zanelli 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 Zanelli

The surname Zanelli finds its origins in Italy, a country with a rich tradition of hereditary surnames dating back to the Middle Ages. Specifically, Zanelli is derived from the northern regions such as Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. The name is thought to have originated around the 13th or 14th century, a time when the adoption of surnames was becoming more widespread in Italy.

The etymology of Zanelli suggests it is a patronymic surname, meaning it is based on the given name of an ancestor. It is derived from "Zane," which is a Venetian dialect form of "Giovanni," the Italian equivalent of John. The suffix "elli" is a diminutive, suggesting that Zanelli originally meant "little John" or "son of John". Similar forms of the surname such as Zanello and Zanella can also be found, indicating regional variations in spelling.

Historical references to the surname Zanelli can be found in old records and manuscripts. One of the earliest recorded instances is from the late 14th century in church documents from Lombardy. These early records often listed members of the Zanelli family as landowners and merchants, indicating a family of some prominence.

One of the earliest known figures with the surname Zanelli was Pietro Zanelli, born around 1460, who was a notable merchant in the city of Milan. Another notable figure is Francesco Zanelli, a scholar from Bologna, born in 1543, who wrote extensively on local history and was well respected in academic circles.

In the realm of the arts, Giovanni Zanelli (1635-1705) was a highly regarded painter from Modena, whose works contributed significantly to Baroque art in Italy. His paintings are still appreciated in various Italian galleries and churches.

Moving to the 19th century, Giuseppe Zanelli was a noted Italian architect born in 1829. He contributed to several significant building projects in Lombardy, many of which still stand today and are considered landmarks of 19th-century Italian architecture.

In the 20th century, Carlo Zanelli (1894-1970) emerged as a prominent figure in the world of opera, known for his powerful baritone voice. He performed in many prestigious opera houses across Europe and was particularly celebrated for his interpretations of Verdi's works.

The Zanelli surname, with its roots deeply embedded in Italian culture and history, reflects a rich tapestry of contributions to commerce, scholarship, art, architecture, and music. The name has persisted through centuries, highlighting the enduring legacy of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zanelli

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

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!