2000
#34,630
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 618
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.23
Rare Last name
Zapanta
A Spanish surname possibly derived from the word "zapata" meaning "shoe" or "shoemaker."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,078 Americans carry the last name Zapanta. That puts it at #27,194 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 317,954 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zapanta 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
1.1K
1 in 317,954
Census rank
#27,194
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
940
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 940 bearers of the surname Zapanta in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27194th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapanta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zapanta
The surname Zapanta originates from the Philippines. Its etymology can be traced back to Spanish influence during the period of Spanish colonization from the 16th to the 19th century. The name likely emerged during this time as Filipinos began adopting surnames under Spanish rule, which included the need for surnames as part of the colonial administrative system.
Zapanta is believed to be derived from the Spanish word "zapato," which means "shoe." The suffix "a" may have been added to denote a place or a family associated with shoemaking. Such occupational surnames were common in Spanish-speaking countries and their colonies. Historical records show similar spellings and variations, such as "Zapata," which carries a similar meaning and may have influenced the formation of Zapanta.
Historical references to the surname include mentions in various colonial records and church documents. In 1849, the Spanish Governor General Narciso Claveria issued a decree mandating all Filipino natives to adopt Spanish surnames. This decree led to the widespread adoption of surnames like Zapanta across the archipelago. Church baptismal records from the 19th century frequently include the surname Zapanta, particularly in areas with strong Spanish influence.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Zapanta was Don Ramon Zapanta, a landowner documented in Spanish colonial records from the late 1800s. In the 20th century, Manuel Zapanta, born in 1895 and died in 1962, became notable for his contributions to Filipino agriculture. Further historical references include Jose Zapanta, an educator born in 1902 who significantly impacted Philippine education in the mid-20th century.
In the mid-1900s, Arturo Zapanta rose to prominence as a politician and lawmaker, born in 1920 and passed away in 1985. His legislative work contributed to various social reforms in the post-World War II Philippines. Another notable individual is Maria Zapanta, an artist and cultural advocate born in 1945, whose work has been exhibited internationally, highlighting Filipino heritage.
The surname Zapanta has deep historical roots shaped by colonial influence and has been borne by individuals who played significant roles in Filipino society. Its legacy continues to be evident in the arts, politics, and education, reflecting the diverse contributions of those who carried the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zapanta
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapanta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zapanta 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 Zapanta surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander85.2% · 801
- Hispanic or Latino6.6% · 62
- Two or more races4.3% · 40
- White3.5% · 33
- Black or African American0.3% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zapanta
Zapanta 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
#27,081
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 894
+276 bearers (+44.7%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Up 7,549 places
2020
#27,194
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 940
+46 bearers (+5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Down 113 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #34,630 | 618 | 0.23 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,081 | 894 | 0.30 | +276 bearers (+44.7%) | Up 7,549 places |
| 2020 | #27,194 | 940 | 0.31 | +46 bearers (+5.1%) | Down 113 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 Zapanta 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 | #27,081 | #27,194 | -0.4% |
| Count | 894 | 940 | 5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.30 | 0.31 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zapanta bearers went from 894 to 940 (+5.1% change). The surname moved down 113 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,081 to #27,194.
FAQ
Zapanta surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zapanta?
Name Census estimates that about 1,078 living Americans carry the surname Zapanta. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 317,954 residents.
How common is Zapanta?
Zapanta ranks #27,194 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 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 940 people with the surname Zapanta. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,078), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 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 Zapanta.
Has Zapanta become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zapanta went from 894 recorded bearers to 940. That is an increase of 46 (+5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #27,081 to #27,194.
What does the Census say about the background of Zapanta?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapanta, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 85.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.6%) and Two or More Races (4.3%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zapanta in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (801 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zapanta appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (85.2%), Hispanic (6.6%), Two or More Races (4.3%). 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 Zapanta (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 Zapanta mean?
A Spanish surname possibly derived from the word "zapata" meaning "shoe" or "shoemaker." 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 Zapanta (0.31 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 are called Zapanta?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Zapanta is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.