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

Zapalac, 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 Zapalac surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zapalac in America

Zapalac is the 39607th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zapalac surname appeared 555 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 Zapalac.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zapalac 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 Zapalac

The surname Zapalac originates from Czech lands, which now form part of the modern Czech Republic. Historical records suggest that the name began to appear in the mid to late Middle Ages, around the 14th and 15th centuries. It is most strongly associated with regions such as Bohemia and Moravia, areas rich in cultural and political history within Central Europe.

The name Zapalac is derived from the Old Czech word "zapalati," which means to spark or ignite. This term was likely used metaphorically to describe someone with a fiery or passionate disposition, or perhaps someone literally associated with fire, such as a blacksmith or someone who made charcoal. Variations in spelling include Zapalaz, Zapalats, and Zapalacz, reflecting the linguistic and dialectal diversity of the region during medieval times.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname appears in a 1389 Bohemian registry, mentioning a Tomas Zapalac, a landholder in a rural area outside Prague. Records from the 15th century also document the name appearing in various legal and administrative texts, often in relation to property transactions or civic duties.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, members of the Zapalac family continued to be noted in historical records. For example, in 1603, Matej Zapalac is documented as a prominent figure in the Moravian town of Brno, where he served on the local council. Another notable figure is Jan Zapalac, born in 1642, who became a well-respected scholar and scribe in the city of Olomouc, contributing significantly to local historical chronicles.

In the 18th century, the surname expanded beyond the borders of modern-day Czech Republic, as political and social turmoil prompted migration. A known individual from this period is Frantisek Zapalac, born in 1737, who relocated to Vienna and became an influential tradesman, participating in the thriving mercantile activities of the Habsburg Empire.

The 19th century saw the name further dispersed across Europe and into the Americas, as economic opportunities and political upheaval induced waves of emigration. Joseph Zapalac, born in 1831, moved to Texas in the United States, where he became a prominent community leader, helping to establish several Czech heritage organizations and contributing to the cultural tapestry of the region. Antonin Zapalac, born in 1878, is another significant figure; an agrarian reformist in Czechoslovakia, he played a vital role in agricultural modernization before World War I.

Historical documentation of the Zapalac surname encapsulates a rich narrative of cultural integration, migration, and societal contributions. From medieval Czech lands through various epochs of European history, the name embodies a legacy influenced by both local traditions and the broader currents of socio-political change.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zapalac

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zapalac, 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!