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

Zapatero, 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 Zapatero surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zapatero in America

Zapatero is the 60045th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zapatero surname appeared 336 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 Zapatero.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zapatero 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 Zapatero

The surname Zapatero originates from Spain, specifically within the Castilian regions. The earliest occurrences trace back to the Medieval Period, as surnames in Spain became hereditary during the 10th to 12th centuries. Zapatero is derived from the Spanish word “zapato,” meaning “shoe.” Historically, it denoted someone who worked as a shoemaker, aligning with the occupational surnames common during that era. The term itself relates to the older Latin word “sapatarius,” indicating the craftsmanship involved in shoemaking.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zapatero appears in a 13th-century manuscript from the Kingdom of Castile, a testament to its occupational roots. This documentation illustrated the prevalence of trade-based surnames during the module of medieval society. By the time of the 15th century, the surname Zapatero had become well-established in Castilian records, often found in smaller towns and villages where craftsmen played integral roles in communities.

Among notable individuals bearing the surname from history, Diego Zapatero, a 16th-century artisan in Castile, exemplifies the skill associated with the name. He became renowned for his exceptional shoemaking skills in 1580. Another significant figure is José Benito Zapatero, a political figure from the 18th century, who contributed to local governance in Madrid around 1735. He was often noted in municipal records for his community involvement.

The 19th century brought Andrés Zapatero, a respected Spanish judge born in 1820, whose notable legal career spanned from Madrid to Seville. His rulings in various high-profile cases were documented meticulously, reflecting the name’s continued prestige. Moving into the 20th century, María Zapatero, born in 1890, an educator and reformer from Salamanca, left her mark by advocating for educational reforms. Her work is still commemorated in historical educational texts.

A significant 21st-century figure is José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, born in 1960, who served as the Prime Minister of Spain from 2004 to 2011. His tenure was characterized by various social reforms and economic measures that remain subjects of study in modern Spanish politics. His prominence underscores the enduring legacy and notability of the Zapatero surname in contemporary times, creating a continuity of historical significance that stretches back over multiple centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zapatero

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

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

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

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