2000
#31,621
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 691
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.26
Rare Last name
Zara
A Spanish surname derived from the Arabic word "zahra" meaning flower or bloom.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,026 Americans carry the last name Zara. That puts it at #28,366 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.30 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 334,069 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zara 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Zara with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
1.0K
1 in 334,069
Census rank
#28,366
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
895
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 895 bearers of the surname Zara in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.30 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 28366th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zara, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.3%) and Hispanic (10.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zara
The surname Zara has origins that are deeply intertwined with the Mediterranean region, particularly Italy and the former Venetian territories. Historical records indicate that the name likely emerged in the areas surrounding the Adriatic Sea, with significant presence in what is now modern-day Croatia. The Italian city of Zara, which is present-day Zadar in Croatia, serves as one of the earliest documented origins of the surname.
The name Zara is derived from the Venetian and Italian dialects, where it is thought to be a toponymic surname, referring to someone who was from Zara. The first recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, during a period of Venetian rule. Manuscripts from this era sometimes referred to individuals as “de Zara,” indicating their origin from the city of Zara.
One of the earliest historical references to the surname appears in the archives of the Republic of Venice, where records from the 14th century mention a family by the name of Zara engaged in trade and politics in the Adriatic region. Among these records, Giovanni Zara, born in 1321, stands out as a notable Venetian merchant involved in commerce between Venice and Dalmatia.
The Zara family name continued to spread and gain prominence throughout the Renaissance period. Another distinguished bearer of the name was Pietro Zara, born in 1485, who was a scholar and humanist associated with the University of Padua. His contributions to classical studies and translations of Greek texts were well-regarded during his time.
By the 17th century, the Zara lineage had produced figures of military and political significance. Luigi Zara, born in 1602, served as an admiral in the Venetian navy. His strategic acumen was critical during the conflicts against the Ottoman Empire, particularly in the defense of the island of Crete during the Cretan War (1645-1669).
The 18th century saw the name appear in the realms of art and culture. Maria Zara, born in 1729, became renowned as a soprano and performed in many of the prestigious courts of Europe. Her operatic talents earned her invitations to perform in theaters from Vienna to Madrid, and she left a lasting mark on the Baroque opera scene.
As the 19th century ushered in significant social and political changes, the Zara surname appeared in the context of emerging nationalist movements in Italy and the Balkans. Alessandro Zara, born in 1798, was an influential political thinker and a participant in the Italian unification movement, contributing to the eventual establishment of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861.
Overall, the surname Zara has a rich historical narrative, with roots that trace back to a prominent city in the Adriatic and has been borne by individuals of significant achievements across various fields. From medieval merchants to Renaissance scholars, military leaders, cultural icons, and political thinkers, the Zara name encapsulates a storied heritage that has left an indelible mark through centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zara
Among Census respondents with the surname Zara, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.3%) and Hispanic (10.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zara 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 Zara surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White55.1% · 493
- Asian and Pacific Islander29.3% · 262
- Hispanic or Latino10.8% · 97
- Two or more races3.1% · 28
- Black or African American1.6% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zara
Zara 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
#31,824
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 725
+34 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Down 203 places
2020
#28,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 895
+170 bearers (+23.4%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Up 3,458 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #31,621 | 691 | 0.26 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,824 | 725 | 0.25 | +34 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 203 places |
| 2020 | #28,366 | 895 | 0.30 | +170 bearers (+23.4%) | Up 3,458 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 Zara 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 | #31,824 | #28,366 | 10.9% |
| Count | 725 | 895 | 23.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.30 | 19.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zara bearers went from 725 to 895 (+23.4% change). The surname moved up 3,458 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,824 to #28,366.
FAQ
Zara surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zara?
Name Census estimates that about 1,026 living Americans carry the surname Zara. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 334,069 residents.
How common is Zara?
Zara ranks #28,366 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.30 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 895 people with the surname Zara. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,026), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.3 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.30 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 Zara.
Has Zara become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zara went from 725 recorded bearers to 895. That is an increase of 170 (+23.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #31,824 to #28,366.
What does the Census say about the background of Zara?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zara, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (29.3%) and Hispanic (10.8%). 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 Zara in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.1% (493 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zara appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (55.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (29.3%), Hispanic (10.8%). 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 Zara (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 Zara mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Arabic word "zahra" meaning flower or bloom. 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 Zara (0.30 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 Zara?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.