2000
#93,006
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 183
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Zanolini
An Italian surname derived from the diminutive form of the name Zanoli.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 181 Americans carry the last name Zanolini. That puts it at #116,774 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,893,670 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zanolini 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
181
1 in 1,893,670
Census rank
#116,774
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
158
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 158 bearers of the surname Zanolini in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 116774th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zanolini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Black (0.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zanolini
The surname Zanolini originates from Italy, specifically the northern regions of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige. This surname likely emerged during the Middle Ages, a time when surnames were becoming more common in Italy as populations grew and people needed more precise means of identification. The areas of Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige are characterized by their rich histories and diverse cultural influences, which played a significant role in shaping local surnames.
Zanolini is derived from the Italian root name Zani, which itself is a diminutive form of Giovanni, the Italian equivalent of John. The suffix -lini is a diminutive addition, often used in Italian to convey endearment or a smaller version of something, thus Zanolini could be interpreted as "little Zani" or "descendant of Zani." This linguistic formation suggests that the Zanolini family might have originated as descendants or relatives of someone named Giovanni.
One of the earliest records mentioning a variant of the name, Zanolinus, dates back to the 14th century in ecclesiastical and civic documents in the Veneto region. These records include tax rolls and church registers where individuals were listed by name for administrative purposes. Such documents provide a glimpse into the family's standing in their local communities and their participation in civic duties and religious activities.
Among the earliest prominent individuals with the surname Zanolini was Antonio Zanolini, born in 1612 in Verona. He was a noted sculptor whose works contributed to various religious sites within the region, leaving a lasting artistic legacy. Additionally, the name appears in historical military records, including Luigi Zanolini, who served as a soldier in the Venetian Republic's army during the 17th century.
In the 18th century, Maria Zanolini, born in 1753, gained recognition as a midwife in the province of Trentino. Her expertise and compassionate care were well-documented in local medical journals and municipal archives. Moving forward to the 19th century, Giovanni Battista Zanolini, born in 1820, was a respected engineer who worked on several infrastructural projects across northern Italy, contributing to the modernization efforts of the time.
Another historically significant figure is Francesco Zanolini, born in 1855 in the city of Treviso. He was a highly influential political figure, serving in local government bodies and advocating for agricultural reforms that benefited the rural population. His impact on local policy and farming practices was noteworthy during his time.
Overall, the Zanolini surname carries a rich history deeply tied to the cultural, artistic, and civic development of northern Italy. Its bearers have left their mark in various fields, from art and engineering to politics and healthcare, reflecting the diverse contributions of this distinctive Italian family name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zanolini
Among Census respondents with the surname Zanolini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Black (0.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zanolini 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 Zanolini surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.7% · 148
- Hispanic or Latino5.7% · 9
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zanolini
Zanolini 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
#98,099
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 185
+2 bearers (+1.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 5,093 places
2020
#116,774
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 158
-27 bearers (-14.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 18,675 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #93,006 | 183 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #98,099 | 185 | 0.06 | +2 bearers (+1.1%) | Down 5,093 places |
| 2020 | #116,774 | 158 | 0.05 | -27 bearers (-14.6%) | Down 18,675 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 Zanolini 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 | #98,099 | #116,774 | -19.0% |
| Count | 185 | 158 | -14.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.05 | -11.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zanolini bearers went from 185 to 158 (-14.6% change). The surname moved down 18,675 positions in the national ranking, going from #98,099 to #116,774.
FAQ
Zanolini surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zanolini?
Name Census estimates that about 181 living Americans carry the surname Zanolini. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,893,670 residents.
How common is Zanolini?
Zanolini ranks #116,774 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 158 people with the surname Zanolini. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (181), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zanolini.
Has Zanolini become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zanolini went from 185 recorded bearers to 158. That is a decrease of 27 (-14.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #98,099 to #116,774.
What does the Census say about the background of Zanolini?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zanolini, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.7%) and Black (0.6%). 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 Zanolini in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.7% (148 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zanolini appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.7%), Hispanic (5.7%), Black (0.6%). 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 Zanolini (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 Zanolini mean?
An Italian surname derived from the diminutive form of the name Zanoli. 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 Zanolini (0.05 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 surname Zanolini?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.