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

Zei, 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 Zei surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zei in America

Zei is the 97210th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zei surname appeared 187 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 Zei.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zei 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 Zei

The surname Zei has its origins in Italy, specifically from the regions where the Romance languages evolved, such as Tuscany and Venetia. The name is believed to date back to the medieval period. It derives from the old Italian word "zecca", which means "mint" or "coin", pointing to an occupational origin related to coin-making or minting. There are variations in spelling over the centuries, including Zecca and Zech.

One of the first recorded mentions of the surname Zei can be found in the Venetian Republic records from the 13th century. A notable early record involves a document in the Archivio di Stato di Venezia which references a certain Giovanni Zei who was a mint worker around the year 1278. His contributions to minting silver coins helped stabilize the Venetian economy during that period.

During the Renaissance, the name continued to be associated with important roles in society. Lorenzo Zei, born in 1490 in Florence, is another historical figure bearing this surname. He was a prominent goldsmith whose works were highly sought after by the Medici family. His craft and skill in metallurgy reinforced the surname's association with metalwork and minting.

In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the surname was Lucia Zei, born in 1545 in Venice. She gained attention for her exceptional work as a scribe and was employed by the Venetian government. Lucia's detailed records and transcriptions have been preserved in various manuscripts and give us insight into administrative processes of the time.

Moving into the 18th century, the name appears in the scholarly circles of Italy. Matteo Zei, born in 1723, was a known mathematician and astronomer from Bologna. He made significant contributions to early astronomical maps and calendars, reflecting the growing influence of science and reason.

In the 19th century, Giuseppe Zei, born in 1836, was a notable artist and sculptor from Venice. His works are part of several Italian museums today. Giuseppe’s sculptures often depicted scenes of everyday life and celebrated regional history and culture, further cementing the surname's place in Italian heritage.

Throughout history, the surname Zei has demonstrated a strong connection to professions involving precision and craftsmanship, from minting to the arts and sciences. The name remains a testament to these historic professions and their evolution in the regions of Italy where the Zei family flourished.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zei

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

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

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

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