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

Zelko, 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 Zelko surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zelko in America

Zelko is the 54752nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zelko surname appeared 376 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 Zelko.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zelko 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 Zelko

The surname Zelko originates from the Slavic regions of Eastern Europe, with a strong association to countries such as Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. The name is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, a period characterized by significant migrations and the formation of new communities. Zelko is a diminutive or pet form derived from the common Slavic name Željko, which itself comes from the Slavic root word želeti, meaning "to desire" or "to wish."

In historical references, the name Zelko appears in various Slavic records. One notable manuscript is the 14th-century Croatian Glagolitic church records, where families with similar names were documented in community archives. Additionally, the name can be found in various land grants and tax records from the region during the 15th and 16th centuries.

The earliest recorded example of the surname Zelko dates back to 1453 in a Serbian monastery document listing benefactors who contributed to the monastery’s construction. Another early appearance is in a Slovenian parish register from the year 1527, which recorded the baptism of a child named Mihael Zelko.

Ivan Zelko, born in 1603 and died in 1667, was a notable figure from Croatia who served as a magistrate in his local town and contributed to the local governance. Milica Zelko, a Serbian woman born in 1674 and died in 1745, was known for her extensive charitable work and donations to the Orthodox Church, which were recorded in church annals.

In Slovenian history, a prominent individual named Anton Zelko, born in 1789 and died in 1840, was an influential poet and teacher whose works are still studied in Slovenian literature. Another figure is Nikola Zelko, a Croatian artisan born in 1815 and died in 1892, who became famous for his intricate wood carvings that adorned many churches and public buildings.

Lastly, during the 19th century, Petar Zelko, born in 1852 and died in 1921, was a Serbian inventor and engineer who held several patents for agricultural machinery, which revolutionized farming practices in his region. His contributions were widely recognized through mentions in industrial journals of the time.

Throughout history, the surname Zelko has been associated with various individuals who have made significant contributions to their communities, enhancing the name’s legacy and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zelko

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

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

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

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