2000
#59,916
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 315
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Zarzuela
A surname of Spanish origin referring to a bramble bush or thicket.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 586 Americans carry the last name Zarzuela. That puts it at #45,147 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 584,905 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zarzuela 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
586
1 in 584,905
Census rank
#45,147
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
511
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 511 bearers of the surname Zarzuela in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 45147th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarzuela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.0%) and White (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zarzuela
The surname Zarzuela finds its origin in Spain, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Spanish word 'zarza', which means 'bramble' or 'thorn bush,' combined with a diminutive suffix, giving 'zarzuela,' which can translate to a 'small bramble.' The name likely originated as a topographical surname, identifying someone who lived near or among brambles.
The earliest regions where the surname Zarzuela was found include the central and northern parts of Spain, particularly in Castile and León. These areas were well-known for dense, thorny bushes, making it apt for a family name derived from such a landscape feature. Various medieval manuscripts and documents, such as land grants and tax records, hold references to the name Zarzuela, indicating its usage by the families who lived in those regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in a 14th-century land deed in Castile, where a Don Fernando de la Zarzuela is mentioned. This document provides insight into the land ownership and noble lineage of early bearers of the name Zarzuela. Another historical reference appears in a 15th-century tax record from León, listing a Pedro Zarzuela as a landowner and tax contributor, confirming the family’s presence in the region.
Several influential figures have carried the surname Zarzuela throughout history. One such individual is Isabel de Zarzuela, a 16th-century poet from Castile, whose works contributed to the Spanish Golden Age of literature. Another notable person is Captain Juan Zarzuela, a 17th-century explorer who played a significant role in the early mapping of the Spanish territories in the New World.
In the arts, Francisco Zarzuela, born in 1716, was a renowned composer and guitarist, whose music greatly influenced the development of classical Spanish music. His works are still celebrated today for their intricate compositions and melodic mastery.
More recent historical figures include Antonio de Zarzuela, a 19th-century botanist born in 1845, who made significant contributions to the study of Mediterranean flora. His extensive collections and writings remain critical references for modern botanical research.
The surname Zarzuela has endured through various historical periods, always reflecting a connection to the natural landscape of Spain. This enduring link to place and environment highlights the deeply rooted heritage of families that bore the name, contributing to its rich etymological and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zarzuela
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarzuela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.0%) and White (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zarzuela 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 Zarzuela surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino86.9% · 444
- Asian and Pacific Islander8.0% · 41
- White2.7% · 14
- Two or more races1.6% · 8
- Black or African American0.6% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zarzuela
Zarzuela 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
#48,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 434
+119 bearers (+37.8%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 11,288 places
2020
#45,147
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 511
+77 bearers (+17.7%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 3,481 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #59,916 | 315 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #48,628 | 434 | 0.15 | +119 bearers (+37.8%) | Up 11,288 places |
| 2020 | #45,147 | 511 | 0.17 | +77 bearers (+17.7%) | Up 3,481 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 Zarzuela 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 | #48,628 | #45,147 | 7.2% |
| Count | 434 | 511 | 17.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.17 | 14.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zarzuela bearers went from 434 to 511 (+17.7% change). The surname moved up 3,481 positions in the national ranking, going from #48,628 to #45,147.
FAQ
Zarzuela surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zarzuela?
Name Census estimates that about 586 living Americans carry the surname Zarzuela. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 584,905 residents.
How common is Zarzuela?
Zarzuela ranks #45,147 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 511 people with the surname Zarzuela. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (586), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Zarzuela.
Has Zarzuela become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zarzuela went from 434 recorded bearers to 511. That is an increase of 77 (+17.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #48,628 to #45,147.
What does the Census say about the background of Zarzuela?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zarzuela, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 86.9%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (8.0%) and White (2.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zarzuela in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.9% (444 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zarzuela appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (86.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (8.0%), White (2.7%). 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 Zarzuela (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 Zarzuela mean?
A surname of Spanish origin referring to a bramble bush or thicket. 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 Zarzuela (0.17 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 share the surname Zarzuela?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.