2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zaren
A surname potentially related to the Russian word "zar'" meaning "tsar" or "emperor".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Zaren. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zaren 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
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Zaren in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaren, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zaren
The surname Zaren is believed to have its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly in the regions that are now modern-day Poland and Ukraine. It is likely to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name Zaren may derive from the Old Slavic word "Zar", which means "heat" or "glow", symbolizing someone with a bright or fiery personality. Another possible origin could be linked to the term "Zar", meaning "emperor" or "king" in Russian, suggesting that the bearer of the name might have been someone of notable status or influence.
One of the earliest mentions of the name Zaren can be found in the records of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the 14th century. During this time, the name was often associated with members of the nobility or individuals serving in administrative roles. For example, a document from 1376 mentions a nobleman named Ivan Zaren, who was a landowner in what is now Lviv, Ukraine.
In addition to historical records, geographical references also shed light on the distribution and variations of the surname. The town of Zarow, in modern-day Poland, is believed to be linked to the Zaren family, suggesting that the name could have originated as a toponymic surname, indicating someone who hailed from Zarow or owned land there. In medieval manuscripts, variations of the name such as Zaron and Zarin have been documented, illustrating the evolution of the surname over time.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the surname Zaren. One such person is Michal Zaren, a 16th-century Polish knight who fought in the Livonian War under King Stephen Báthory. Born in 1540 and dying in 1590, Michal was known for his bravery and strategic acumen. In the 18th century, the name appears in the context of the Russian Empire. Alexander Zaren, born in 1720 and passed away in 1785, was a renowned scholar and member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, contributing significantly to the fields of linguistics and history.
Moving into the 19th century, another prominent figure with this surname was Katarzyna Zaren, a Polish social activist born in 1832 who played a pivotal role in the January Uprising of 1863 against Russian rule. Her efforts in organizing and supporting insurgents cemented her legacy as a national heroine. In the early 20th century, the name Zaren is associated with the world of literature through Boris Zaren, a Ukrainian poet and novelist born in 1889 and dying in 1932. His works, often exploring themes of identity and displacement, are considered significant in Ukrainian literary history.
The surname Zaren thus carries a rich historical tapestry, interwoven with elements of nobility, geographical significance, and cultural contributions. Its bearers have left indelible marks in various fields, ranging from military and academia to social activism and literature, illustrating the diverse legacy of this esteemed surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zaren
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaren, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Zaren 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 Zaren surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.8% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino6.1% · 6
- Two or more races3.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zaren
Zaren 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,711 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-11 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,817 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,711 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 5,817 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 Zaren 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 | #150,452 | #156,269 | -3.9% |
| Count | 109 | 98 | -10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zaren bearers went from 109 to 98 (-10.1% change). The surname moved down 5,817 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #156,269.
FAQ
Zaren surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zaren?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Zaren. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Zaren?
Zaren ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 98 people with the surname Zaren. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zaren.
Has Zaren become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zaren went from 109 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 11 (-10.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Zaren?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaren, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.1%) and Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Zaren in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.8% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zaren appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.8%), Hispanic (6.1%), Two or More Races (3.1%). 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 Zaren (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 Zaren mean?
A surname potentially related to the Russian word "zar'" meaning "tsar" or "emperor". 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 Zaren (0.03 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 Zaren?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.