2000
#70,906
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 257
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Zavitz
A toponymic surname derived from a place name, possibly of German or Slavic origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 334 Americans carry the last name Zavitz. That puts it at #72,089 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,026,211 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zavitz 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
334
1 in 1,026,211
Census rank
#72,089
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
291
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 291 bearers of the surname Zavitz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 72089th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zavitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zavitz
Among Census respondents with the surname Zavitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Zavitz 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 Zavitz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 257
- Two or more races6.5% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 10
- Black or African American1.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zavitz
Zavitz 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
#72,332
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 269
+12 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 1,426 places
2020
#72,089
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 291
+22 bearers (+8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Up 243 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #70,906 | 257 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #72,332 | 269 | 0.09 | +12 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 1,426 places |
| 2020 | #72,089 | 291 | 0.10 | +22 bearers (+8.2%) | Up 243 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 Zavitz 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 | #72,332 | #72,089 | 0.3% |
| Count | 269 | 291 | 8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.10 | 8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zavitz bearers went from 269 to 291 (+8.2% change). The surname moved up 243 positions in the national ranking, going from #72,332 to #72,089.
FAQ
Zavitz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zavitz?
Name Census estimates that about 334 living Americans carry the surname Zavitz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,026,211 residents.
How common is Zavitz?
Zavitz ranks #72,089 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 291 people with the surname Zavitz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (334), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Zavitz.
Has Zavitz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zavitz went from 269 recorded bearers to 291. That is an increase of 22 (+8.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #72,332 to #72,089.
What does the Census say about the background of Zavitz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zavitz, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zavitz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (257 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zavitz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Two or More Races (6.5%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Zavitz (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 Zavitz mean?
A toponymic surname derived from a place name, possibly of German or Slavic origin. 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 Zavitz (0.10 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 Zavitz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.