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

Zarco, 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 Zarco surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zarco in America

Zarco is the 13251st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zarco surname appeared 2,304 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Zarco.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zarco 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 Zarco

The surname Zarco has its origins in Portugal, emerging during the late medieval period around the 13th-14th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Portuguese word "zarco," which means "blue-eyed" or "light-eyed." This suggests that the name was initially used as a descriptive nickname for individuals with distinctive light-colored eyes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Zarco surname can be found in the chronicles of the Portuguese conquest of the Canary Islands in the 15th century. João Gonçalves Zarco (c. 1390-1471) was a Portuguese explorer who, alongside Tristão Vaz Teixeira, led the expedition that resulted in the rediscovery and colonization of the Madeira Islands in 1419.

Another notable figure bearing the Zarco name was Rui Gonçalves Zarco (fl. 1450), who served as the captain-general of the island of Madeira during the early stages of its settlement. He played a crucial role in the establishment of agricultural and defensive infrastructure on the island.

In the 16th century, records mention Jerónimo Zarco (fl. 1540), a Portuguese explorer and navigator who participated in several expeditions to the East Indies and the Moluccas Islands (present-day Indonesia).

The Zarco surname also had a presence in Spain, particularly in the region of Andalusia. One prominent individual was Miguel Zarco y Abalos (1584-1662), a Spanish military officer and governor of the Canary Islands from 1625 to 1637.

In later centuries, the Zarco name spread to other parts of the world, including the Americas, as a result of Portuguese and Spanish exploration and colonization. Pedro Zarco (1809-1869), for example, was a Mexican military officer who fought in the Mexican-American War and the Reform War in Mexico.

While the Zarco surname is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history rooted in the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Portugal and Spain. The name's association with exploration, navigation, and military service reflects the adventurous spirit of those who bore it throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zarco

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

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

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

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