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

Zavala López, 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 Zavala López surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zavala López in America

Zavala López is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zavala López surname appeared 106 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 Zavala López.

The history of the last name Zavala López

The surname Zavalalopez is a unique combination of two distinct surnames, indicating an Iberian origin, most likely from Spain or Latin America. Its roots can be traced back to the regions where both the surnames Zavala and Lopez have historical significance. Zavala is a Basque surname derived from the word "zabala," which means "wide" or "broad" in the Basque language. The Basque people have inhabited an area that straddles parts of Spain and France for centuries, with their own distinct language and culture. Lopez is a patronymic surname meaning "son of Lope," derived from the Latin name Lupus, which means "wolf." It is one of the most common surnames in the Spanish-speaking world, symbolizing strength and leadership.

Historical records of the surname Zavala date back to medieval times. One of the earliest mentions can be found in the chronicles of the Kingdom of Navarre and the Biscay region, where families with the surname played significant roles in local governance and military endeavors. In contrast, the surname Lopez is documented extensively in Spanish historical records, including the Reconquista period, where many individuals bearing the surname took part in the military campaigns to reclaim Iberian territories from Moorish control.

The combination of these two surnames, forming Zavalalopez, likely points to the amalgamation of two influential families through marriage or lineage, particularly in regions of Spanish colonization. One famous historical figure with the surname Lopez de Zavala was Juan Lopez de Zavala, a Spanish nobleman born in 1551, who became a prominent figure in the Spanish court. Although Zavalalopez as a combined form appears less frequently in old manuscripts, it represents the social and familial alliances crucial to Spanish and colonial heritage.

Another significant individual with a similar name is Diego Zavala Lopez, born in 1642, in the province of Navarre. He was a landowner who played a crucial role in the local economics of his time. A century later, in the mid-1700s, records show the presence of Maria Sanchez Zavalalopez, an aristocratic lady in Madrid, noted for her charitable works and significant contributions to the arts community.

In the late 19th century, Francisco Zavalalopez (1867-1935) emerged as a notable figure, a lawyer and political leader in Argentina, illustrating the spread of the name through the Americas due to Spanish colonization and migration patterns. By the 20th century, Antonio Zavalalopez, born in 1902, became prominent as a writer and historian in Mexico, contributing significantly to the documentation of regional histories and genealogies.

The surname Zavalalopez, through its historical bearings from both Zavala and Lopez, showcases a significant span of time and geographic spread, illustrating the interconnectedness of familial ties and sociopolitical landscapes across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zavala López

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

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 Zavala López 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.

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

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

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