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

Zarzosa, 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 Zarzosa surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zarzosa in America

Zarzosa is the 128249th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zarzosa surname appeared 133 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 Zarzosa.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zarzosa 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 Zarzosa

The surname Zarzosa has its origins in Spain, specifically stemming from the region of Castile-León. The name has been found in historical records dating back to the early medieval period. It is closely associated with the Castilian language, which was the dominant language in central Spain during those times.

Zarzosa is believed to derive from the Spanish word zarza, meaning bramble or thornbush, with the suffix osa possibly denoting abundance. The name, therefore, suggests a place abundant with brambles or thorny bushes. This type of toponymic surname indicates that the original bearers of the name may have lived in or near such a location.

One of the earliest references to the surname Zarzosa appears in documents from the 12th century in Castile-León. The name can be found in monastic records where a family donating land to a local abbey bore the name Zarzosa. Old spellings such as Zarçoça and Zarçosa have been identified in ancient manuscripts, further indicating its medieval roots.

The surname is notably tied to a village named Zarzosa in the province of La Rioja, Spain. Historical documents from this area mention the presence of families with the surname Zarzosa as early as the 14th century. These families were typically engaged in agriculture and land management, which was common for rural communities of that time.

One prominent historical figure bearing the surname was Rodrigo de Zarzosa, a knight who served under the banner of King Ferdinand II of Aragon during the Reconquista in the late 15th century. His contributions to the military campaigns were recorded in royal archives dated 1487.

Another notable person was María de Zarzosa, a 16th-century Spanish playwright whose works were popular in the royal courts of Madrid. Born in 1538, she was celebrated for her dramatic poetry and plays that captured the social dynamics of her time.

In the 17th century, Diego Zarzosa was a Jesuit missionary who played a significant role in the evangelization of indigenous peoples in the Americas. His letters sent back to Spain provided invaluable insights into the early interactions between Europeans and native populations. He lived from 1602 to 1675.

Juan Zarzosa, an 18th-century Spanish cartographer born in 1659, made significant contributions to the mapping of the Iberian Peninsula. His detailed maps were instrumental in the development of early modern navigation and trade routes within Spain.

In the 19th century, Dolores Zarzosa emerged as an important figure in the Spanish independence movement against French occupation. Born in 1781, she was known for her organizational skills, helping to coordinate local resistance efforts in her hometown.

The history of the surname Zarzosa thus reveals a rich tapestry of medieval roots, geographical ties to specific Spanish regions, and a legacy carried by individuals who made significant contributions in various fields over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zarzosa

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

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

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

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