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

Zelaya, 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 Zelaya surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zelaya in America

Zelaya is the 2886th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zelaya surname appeared 12,448 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Zelaya.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zelaya 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 Zelaya

The surname Zelaya has its origins in Honduras, Central America. It is derived from the Nahuatl word "Xallapan," which translates to "place of sand." This name likely originated in the 16th century during the Spanish conquest of the region.

The name is closely associated with the town of Zelaya in the department of Olancho, Honduras. This town was likely named after an indigenous leader or landowner with the surname Zelaya. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in colonial records and documents from this area.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Zelaya was Miguel Zelaya, a landowner and cattle rancher who lived in the town of Zelaya in the late 17th century. His descendants continued to use the surname and played a prominent role in the local community for generations.

Another notable figure with the surname Zelaya was José Santos Zelaya (1853-1919), who served as President of Nicaragua from 1893 to 1909. He was a controversial figure known for his efforts to modernize the country and his conflicts with the United States and other foreign powers.

In the 20th century, Ramón Emilio Zelaya (1905-1987) was a Honduran poet and writer who is considered one of the most important literary figures in Honduran history. His works, including "Canto a la Tierra" (Song to the Land), explored themes of nature, indigenous culture, and national identity.

Another notable bearer of the surname Zelaya was Carlos Roberto Zelaya (1950-1995), a Salvadoran human rights activist and lawyer. He was assassinated in 1995 for his work defending the rights of the poor and marginalized in El Salvador.

Manuel Zelaya (born 1952) is a former President of Honduras who served from 2006 to 2009. He was controversially ousted in a military coup in 2009, leading to a period of political turmoil in the country.

The surname Zelaya has its roots in the indigenous cultures of Central America and has been associated with prominent figures in the region's history, literature, and politics over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zelaya

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

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

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

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