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

Zauala, 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 Zauala surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zauala in America

Zauala is the 58481st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zauala surname appeared 347 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 Zauala.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zauala 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 Zauala

The surname Zauala likely has its origins in Spain, particularly in the Basque region, which is known for its unique and distinct language. The Basque people, who have a long history that predates the Roman invasion of the Iberian Peninsula, often have surnames that are toponymic, reflecting the geography of the areas from which they hail. The surname Zauala appears to be derived from such geographic naming conventions.

The linguistic roots of Zauala can be traced to the Basque words, with "zabal" meaning "wide" or "broad" in English. The suffix "a" in Basque can be a locative, implying "place" or "area", suggesting that Zauala might loosely translate to "the wide place". This interpretation is consistent with other Basque place-derived surnames, which often describe some prominent feature of the land associated with the family.

The earliest historical references to the surname Zauala appear in church records from the 16th century. In 1563, a monk named Iñigo Zauala is documented in the archives of a monastery in the province of Gipuzkoa. He was known for his devotion to preserving Basque cultural heritage and his meticulous record-keeping, which included detailed descriptions of the local landscape and populace.

In the 17th century, the name Zauala appears in legal documents, notably in a 1621 land grant which lists Miguel Zauala as a recipient of lands in the region of Álava. This grant was part of a broader effort by the Spanish crown to reward loyal subjects with land and titles, indicating that the Zauala family may have been influential or held in high regard.

By the 18th century, another notable Zauala emerges in the historical record. María Zauala, born in 1702 and died in 1768, was a prominent figure in the local community of Bilabao, a town in the Basque Country. María was a well-known benefactor and philanthropist, contributing significantly to the construction of public buildings and the support of education for girls in her town.

In the 19th century, the surname Zauala crossed the Atlantic as Basque immigrants moved to the Americas. In historical records from Argentina, Juan José Zauala, born in 1825, is noted for establishing one of the first vineyards in the Mendoza region. His contributions to the local wine industry earned him considerable recognition, and the legacy of his work persists in the thriving wine culture of the area.

The last figure of historical note is Alejo Zauala, a renowned engineer born in 1888, who was instrumental in the construction of several key infrastructure projects in Spain, including bridges and roads that facilitated greater connectivity in the northern regions of the country. His engineering prowess was celebrated, and his work left an enduring mark on the landscape.

Throughout history, the surname Zauala has been linked to individuals who contributed to their communities through various means, whether it be religious, legal, philanthropic, agricultural, or engineering endeavors. The name carries with it a legacy of prominence and service, deeply rooted in the Basque tradition and landscape.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zauala

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

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

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

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