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

Zawisza, 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 Zawisza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zawisza in America

Zawisza is the 49723rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zawisza surname appeared 422 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 Zawisza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zawisza 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 Zawisza

The surname Zawisza has its origins in Poland, dating back to the medieval period. The name is derived from the old Polish word "zawis," which means "to hang" or "to linger." This root suggests that the name could have been used to describe someone who was patient or deliberate in their actions. The earliest regions associated with the surname Zawisza are in the central and eastern parts of Poland, within the historical regions of Mazovia and Lesser Poland.

One of the most notable figures bearing this surname is Zawisza the Black of Garbów, also known as Zawisza Czarny, who was born around 1379 and died in 1428. He was a famed Polish knight and diplomat who became a national hero. Zawisza Czarny gained legendary status for his chivalry, integrity, and military prowess, and he served as a model of the ideal knight throughout European literature and history.

Records from the 14th and 15th centuries show the surname Zawisza appearing in various manuscripts and chronicles, particularly those describing battles and chivalric deeds. The name was documented in a 1390 court record mentioning a Jan Zawisza, which confirms the surname's antiquity and ties to noble lineage.

Another notable Zawisza is Krzysztof Zawisza, a member of the noble Zawisza family, who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was a prominent political figure and military commander in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Historical documents from this period reference his contributions to various military campaigns and his role in the political affairs of the time.

In the 18th century, we find records of Andrzej Zawisza, a notable figure in the Polish Bar Confederation, which was a confederation of Polish nobles formed at the fortress of Bar in 1768 in defiance of Russian influence over the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Andrzej Zawisza's involvement in these events highlights the surname's continued association with military and nobility.

In the 19th century, another distinguished individual with this surname was Jan Nepomucen Zawisza, born in 1802 and died in 1866. He was a prominent figure in the realms of Polish literature and politics and contributed significantly to the national independence movements of the time.

Lastly, during the early 20th century, we encounter Tadeusz Zawisza, born in 1891, who was a notable Polish military officer and participated in the Polish-Soviet War. His actions and leadership further underline the Zawisza family's ongoing involvement in key historical and military events in Poland's history.

The surname Zawisza has maintained a rich heritage connected with nobility, military valor, and national pride throughout centuries of Polish history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zawisza

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

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

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

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