2000
#148,244
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zaver
A surname of unclear origin, potentially derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Zaver. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zaver 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Zaver in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaver, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zaver
The surname Zaver has its origins rooted in the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the western region of Gujarat. Dating back to ancient times, this region has a rich history of trade and commerce, and surnames often reflected the occupations, locations, or significant aspects of the family lineage. The name Zaver is believed to be derived from the Gujarati word 'Zaveri', which means jeweler. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname were likely involved in the jewelry trade, a significant and respected profession in historical Indian society.
The Gujarati term 'Zaveri' itself is influenced by the Persian 'Zar', which means gold. During the medieval period, the Persian influence on Indian languages and culture was considerable, particularly in the trade and artisan communities in Gujarat. Thus, Zaver likely evolved over time from its Persian roots through the adaptation to the local language and pronunciation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zaver can be found in regional manuscripts from the early 16th century, as Gujarat was a thriving trade hub during this period. The name appears in various trading records and family histories, indicating the prominence of these families in local commerce.
An example can be noted with Mohandas Zaver, an influential trader and community leader in the 17th century, born in 1622 in the region of Surat. Another prominent figure, Dina Nath Zaver, born in 1785, played a significant role in the local politics of Ahmedabad, highlighting the influential positions held by bearers of this surname.
Moving into more modern historic records, in the late 19th century, Jamnadas Karsanbhai Zaver, born in 1867, was a notable figure in the Indian independence movement from Gujarat, illustrating the transition of the surname bearers into more diverse roles beyond their traditional trade origins.
A notable contribution to academia can be noted with Dr. Shirin Zaver, born in 1905, who was among the first women from Gujarat to receive a higher education degree, breaking societal norms and contributing significantly to the field of education and women's rights.
Lastly, Sunil Zaver, born in 1950, is a distinguished industrialist known for his contributions to the diamond trade, reinforcing the historical association of the Zaver surname with the trade and commerce sector, particularly in precious stones and metals.
The history of the surname Zaver is thus intertwined with the rich cultural and economic tapestry of Gujarat, reflecting a legacy of trade, influence, and evolving roles within society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zaver
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaver, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zaver 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 Zaver surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Asian and Pacific Islander57.7% · 64
- White40.5% · 45
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zaver
Zaver 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+23 bearers (+22.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,532 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-14 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,953 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #148,244 | 102 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +23 bearers (+22.5%) | Up 13,532 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 13,953 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 Zaver 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 | #134,712 | #148,665 | -10.4% |
| Count | 125 | 111 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zaver bearers went from 125 to 111 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 13,953 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #148,665.
FAQ
Zaver surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zaver?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Zaver. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Zaver?
Zaver ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 111 people with the surname Zaver. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Zaver.
Has Zaver become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zaver went from 125 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Zaver?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zaver, the largest self-reported group is Asian/Pacific Islander at 57.7%. The next largest groups are White (40.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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?
Asian/Pacific Islander is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zaver in the 2020 Census, accounting for 57.7% (64 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zaver appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Asian/Pacific Islander (57.7%), White (40.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Zaver (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 Zaver mean?
A surname of unclear origin, potentially derived from a place name. 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 Zaver (0.04 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 Zaver?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.