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

Zavitz, 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 Zavitz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zavitz in America

Zavitz is the 72332nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zavitz surname appeared 269 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 Zavitz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zavitz 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 Zavitz

The surname Zavitz appears to have its origins in Eastern Europe, with a significant presence in regions that are today part of Poland and Ukraine. The name likely dates back several centuries, possibly arising in the late medieval period. This surname has an interesting etymological background with connections to Slavic languages. It is believed to be derived from the Old Polish or Old Ukrainian word "zawitać," meaning "to visit," which could imply that the original bearers of the name might have been known for their hospitality or frequent visits among neighboring communities.

Historical records indicate that the name Zavitz and its variants began appearing in written documents around the 15th century. Medieval manuscripts from this period often contained notations of local nobility, clergy, and merchants, some of whom bore this surname. Due to the nature of historical record-keeping, the surname might also be found under variations such as Zawicz or Zawiczynski in older texts, reflecting the phonetic transcription common in Slavic languages.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname Zavitz can be found in a land registry from the year 1453, documenting the estate holdings of one Jakub Zavitz in the Polish region of Lesser Poland. This document is noteworthy as it suggests the name had some standing and was associated with landownership.

Throughout history, the surname Zavitz has been carried by several notable individuals. One such person was Marek Zavitz, born in 1570, a merchant from Kraków who played a significant role in the trade between Poland and the Baltic states. His business acumen made him a prominent figure in regional trade networks until his death in 1630.

Another historical figure is Elżbieta Zavitz, a 17th-century noblewoman known for her charitable work and support of local monasteries. Born in 1605, she was a patron of the Church and significantly contributed to educational initiatives until her death in 1678.

In the 18th century, the name appears again with Janos Zavitz, a Hungarian-born military officer who served in the Habsburg army during the War of the Austrian Succession. Born in 1718, Janos Zavitz distinguished himself in several key battles before his untimely death in 1753.

By the 19th century, the surname Zavitz was found among emigrant communities in North America. A prominent descendant during this period was Ivan Zavitz, born in 1822, who emigrated to Canada in 1848 and was influential in agricultural developments. He introduced several farming techniques that improved crop yields, making him a respected figure until his death in 1904.

Another individual of note is Anna Zavitz, born in 1857, a pioneering teacher and advocate for women's education in Eastern Europe. Her efforts to improve educational opportunities for women left a lasting impact, flourishing until her passing in 1932.

The surname Zavitz thus has a rich historical tapestry, reflecting a legacy of hospitality, trade, military service, and educational advocacy across several centuries and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zavitz

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!