2000
#126,400
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zawila
A Polish surname likely derived from a place name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Zawila. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zawila 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Zawila in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawila, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zawila
The surname Zawila finds its roots in Poland, emerging from the historical landscapes of Eastern Europe. Originating from the medieval period, the name is believed to be derived from the region around the Masovian Voivodeship, a significant historical area in central Poland. It is suggested that the name Zawila has its roots in the Polish word zawijać, meaning "to curl" or "to twist," indicating a possible occupation or characteristic of the early bearers of this name.
The name Zawila appears in early Polish records, dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Medieval manuscripts and church records from this period reveal the presence of the Zawila family in various parts of Poland, predominantly in areas that were part of the Kingdom of Poland. One of the earliest references to the surname can be found in a 1423 church document, listing a Stanisław Zawila as a landowner in the Masovian region.
Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the Zawila surname continued to appear in official records, often associated with landholdings and local nobility. A notable figure from this period is Jan Zawila, born in 1580, who served as a judge in Kraków and played a significant role in local governance. His contributions to the judicial system are documented in several legal texts from the early 17th century.
Moving forward to the 18th century, the Zawila surname is associated with military and political endeavors. Antoni Zawila, born in 1742, served as a commander in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army, participating in several key battles against invading forces. His military career is well-documented in Polish history, highlighting his leadership during the Bar Confederation against Russian influence.
In the 19th century, the Zawila family saw members involved in intellectual and cultural pursuits. Maria Zawila, born in 1821, emerged as a notable Polish poet and writer, whose works were celebrated for their nationalistic themes and contributions to Polish literature. Her poetry often reflected the struggles and resilience of the Polish people during a time of partitions and foreign rule.
By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the Zawila surname had dispersed beyond Poland's borders due to migration. One prominent individual from this period is Józef Zawila, born in 1876, who emigrated to the United States and became a respected figure in the Polish-American community. His efforts in promoting Polish culture and education in America are remembered through various community initiatives and institutions named in his honor.
Today, while historical records provide rich details about the lineage and contributions of individuals bearing the Zawila surname, the name remains a testament to the enduring legacy of Polish heritage and the diverse roles its bearers have played throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zawila
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawila, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zawila 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 Zawila surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 90
- Black or African American4.0% · 4
- Two or more races4.0% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zawila
Zawila 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-19 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 27,369 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-5 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 1,501 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #126,400 | 125 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -19 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 27,369 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 1,501 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 Zawila 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 | #153,769 | #155,270 | -1.0% |
| Count | 106 | 101 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zawila bearers went from 106 to 101 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 1,501 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #155,270.
FAQ
Zawila surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zawila?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Zawila. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Zawila?
Zawila ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Zawila. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zawila.
Has Zawila become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zawila went from 106 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Zawila?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zawila, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Black (4.0%) and Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Zawila in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zawila appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Black (4.0%), Two or More Races (4.0%). 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 Zawila (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 Zawila mean?
A Polish surname likely 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 Zawila (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Zawila?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.