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

Zeas, 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 Zeas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeas in America

Zeas is the 70403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeas surname appeared 278 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 Zeas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeas 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 Zeas

The surname Zeas is believed to have originated from the Iberian Peninsula, specifically from Spain, and it dates back to at least the medieval period. The name may have derived from the Old Castilian word "ceja," which means "eyebrow" or "ridge," possibly suggesting a familial connection to someone who lived by or was identified with a geographical feature resembling an eyebrow. Another theory is a derivation from the Latin word "seda," meaning "silk," indicating the family may have been involved in the silk trade.

The name Zeas has a couple of ancient spellings that can be found in historical manuscripts. For example, Zayas is a variant, and there's an old town named Zayas de Báscones in the province of Soria, Spain. This variant spelling and location hint at a possible geographic origin for the family name.

Historical references to the surname Zeas appear in documents dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries. One of the earliest recorded examples is a tax document from Castile dated 1345 that mentions a Juan de Zeas, suggesting that the family was already established and sufficiently prominent at this time. Another early mention appears in the records of the Reconquista, where a Captain Martín Zeas is noted for his role in the battles to reclaim Spanish territories from Moorish control during the late 15th century.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, the Zeas surname appears in colonial records of the Americas. One notable individual is Diego de Zeas, born in 1582, who emigrated to the New World and settled in present-day Mexico. He became a prominent landowner and played an instrumental role in the early colonial period.

The name Zeas is also mentioned in the listings of Spanish nobility. For instance, Don Pedro Zeas y Salazar, who lived during the early 18th century, was a notable figure in Madrid, serving as an advisor to King Philip V. His influence and status underscored the continued prominence of the Zeas name in Spanish society.

Another historical figure is Ana de Zeas, born in 1703, who was a distinguished lady-in-waiting at the court of Queen Barbara of Portugal, showcasing the family’s enduring presence in Spanish high society. Her diaries provide a fascinating glimpse into the life and times of the Spanish aristocracy during the early 18th century.

As records moved into the 19th century, José María Zeas, born in 1804, emerged as a revolutionary figure involved in the Spanish American wars of independence. His efforts in the fight against colonial rule in South America were well-documented, marking the family's shift from old-world prominence to new-world influence.

The surname Zeas, though less common today, carries a rich history that reflects a blend of geographical origin, societal roles, and contributions to historical events from medieval Spain to the colonial Americas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeas

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

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

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

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