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

Zapote, 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 Zapote surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zapote in America

Zapote is the 104156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zapote surname appeared 172 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 Zapote.

The history of the last name Zapote

The surname Zapote has its origins rooted deeply in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly within the regions of Spain. The name is believed to have emerged around the late medieval period, approximately during the 13th or 14th century. It is derived from the Spanish term "zapote," which refers to the fruit of certain tropical trees of the genus Manilkara, such as the sapodilla.

The etymology of Zapote is linked to the earlier Spanish words "sapotillo" or "sapotillo," which in turn were influenced by the Nahuatl word "tzapotl," meaning sapote fruit. This highlights the cultural and linguistic exchanges following the Spanish conquests in the Americas. The word’s incorporation into Spanish lexicon likely expanded from the time of the Reconquista and into the early periods of Spanish exploration in the New World.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zapote appears in notarial records from Valencia in the early 15th century. These records depict a certain García Zapote, a merchant dealing with goods imported from the newly discovered territories in the West Indies. Similarly, another early occurrence can be traced back to a land grant in the region of Andalusia, where a Pedro Zapote is documented to have received titles to various agricultural lands in the mid-15th century.

Historical manuscripts and ecclesiastical records from the region of Aragon include references to a noble family bearing the Zapote surname. Among them was Don Miguel Fernandez Zapote, a minor nobleman and landowner noted for his involvement in local governance around 1580. The name continued to be recorded in various forms in baptismal and marriage records in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, depicting the name in forms such as Zapote and Zapotes.

In the early 18th century, the surname appeared in colonial records throughout the Spanish Americas, particularly in what is modern-day Mexico and the Philippines. For instance, Captain Juan Zapote was a noted figure in the colonial administration of New Spain around 1730, his family later becoming prominent members of the local Creole society.

In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition when Dr. Ignacio Zapote, a notable physician and scholar born in 1825, published several influential works on tropical diseases, contributing significantly to medical knowledge of the time. His death in 1885 was commemorated by scholars of his era, marking his legacy in the fields of science and public health.

Additionally, the surname is also linked to the arts. Rosa Zapote, a celebrated Cuban poet born in 1876, was known for her profound and emotive poetry that explored themes of nature and the human condition. Her works were widely published in literary circles throughout the Caribbean and Spain until her death in 1943.

The name’s endurance over the centuries and across continents points to a fascinating history interwoven with the cultural and societal shifts within the Spanish-speaking world. Each bearing of the surname Zapote reflects tales of exploration, trade, nobility, and intellectual pursuit, making it a name rich in historical significance and legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zapote

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

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 Zapote 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.

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

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

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