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

Zarko, 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 Zarko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zarko in America

Zarko is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zarko surname appeared 210 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 Zarko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zarko 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 Zarko

The surname Zarko is believed to have its roots in the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, specifically in countries such as Serbia, Croatia, and other parts of the former Yugoslavia. Historical records suggest that the name likely originated in the medieval period, possibly between the 11th and 14th centuries, as surnames began to form more consistently across Europe.

Zarko is derived from the Slavic given name Žarko, which means "fiery" or "ardent." The root of this name can be traced back to the Old Slavic word "žar," which translates to "heat" or "flame." Over time, surnames in many Slavic cultures were formed by taking given names and adding suffixes to denote family lineage. As a result, Zarko became both a common given name and an eventual surname in these regions.

In medieval manuscripts, one of the earliest references to the name Zarko appears in Croatian records from the 13th century, where it was noted in land ownership documents. A notable mention from this period includes a landowner named Ivan Zarko in a 1290 parchment discussing local governance and territorial disputes in what is now modern-day Croatia.

By the 15th century, the Zarko name had spread to various parts of the Balkans. In 1468, a military document from the Kingdom of Serbia lists a knight named Petar Zarko who distinguished himself in battles against the Ottoman Empire. This record marks one of the few early instances where the name appears in the context of military history.

In the 18th century, another prominent figure was Nikola Zarko, born in 1735, a Serbian merchant and philanthropist noted for his contributions to the economic development of Belgrade. He is remembered for sponsoring the construction of several public buildings and for his involvement in trade that connected various parts of the Balkans with central Europe.

During the 19th century, the Zarko surname saw a rise in prominence, particularly in the region now known as Croatia. A well-documented individual from this period was Jovan Zarko, born in 1820, a noted physician and early advocate for public health reforms in the Austrian Empire. His writings on sanitation and disease prevention were influential in shaping public health policies of the time.

In the 20th century, notable mentions include Milena Zarko, born in 1925, a Croatian artist known for her contributions to modernist painting. Her works were exhibited in various national galleries and earned her several accolades, cementing her legacy in the art world.

Through these historical references, it becomes evident that the surname Zarko has a rich and varied history, deeply rooted in the Slavic cultures of Eastern Europe, having evolved over centuries to leave its mark in fields as diverse as military history, commerce, public health, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zarko

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

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

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

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