2000
#8,214
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,714
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Rare Last name
Zendejas
A Spanish toponymic surname derived from the Basque place name Zendeja, meaning "a place of ascent or climbing."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,343 Americans carry the last name Zendejas. That puts it at #6,951 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,150 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zendejas surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
5.3K
1 in 64,150
Census rank
#6,951
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,659 bearers of the surname Zendejas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6951st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zendejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zendejas
The surname ZENDEJAS originated in Mexico during the Spanish colonial period. It is believed to have derived from the Nahuatl word "Centli," meaning maize or corn. The name likely referred to someone who cultivated or traded in corn, indicating an agricultural background.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the ZENDEJAS surname can be found in the archives of the Spanish Inquisition in Mexico, dating back to the 16th century. A document from 1574 mentions a certain Juan ZENDEJAS, who was accused of practicing indigenous rituals.
In the 17th century, the ZENDEJAS name appears in various records from the central regions of Mexico, such as Puebla and Tlaxcala. These areas were known for their fertile lands and thriving agricultural communities, further supporting the surname's connection to farming and corn cultivation.
During the colonial era, the ZENDEJAS family played a notable role in the defense of Mexico City against the Spanish forces led by Hernán Cortés. Pedro ZENDEJAS, born around 1505, was a prominent warrior who fought alongside the indigenous ruler Cuauhtémoc in the iconic Siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521.
In the 18th century, the ZENDEJAS surname appeared in various documents from the state of Jalisco, particularly in the town of Tequila. This region was renowned for its agave plantations and the production of the famous Tequila spirit. It is possible that some members of the ZENDEJAS family were involved in the cultivation of agave or the production of Tequila during this period.
Notable individuals with the ZENDEJAS surname throughout history include:
1. Francisco ZENDEJAS (1599-1676), a renowned architect who designed several churches and buildings in Mexico City during the Spanish colonial era.
2. María ZENDEJAS (1712-1795), a prominent landowner and philanthropist in Jalisco, known for her support of local communities and charitable endeavors.
3. José ZENDEJAS (1825-1902), a Mexican military officer who fought in the Mexican-American War and the Reform War.
4. Arturo ZENDEJAS (1921-2003), a celebrated Mexican artist and painter, famous for his vibrant depictions of rural life and indigenous cultures.
5. Cuauhtémoc ZENDEJAS (born 1958), a former Mexican professional soccer player who represented the national team in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
Overall, the ZENDEJAS surname has a rich history rooted in Mexico's agricultural and cultural traditions, with notable figures contributing to various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zendejas
Among Census respondents with the surname Zendejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Zendejas bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zendejas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino95.4% · 4,447
- White3.6% · 169
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 20
- Two or more races0.2% · 10
- Black or African American0.2% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zendejas
Zendejas appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,761
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,988
+1,274 bearers (+34.3%)
Per 100,000 1.69
Rank movement Up 1,453 places
2020
#6,951
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,659
-329 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 1.56
Rank movement Down 190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,214 | 3,714 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,761 | 4,988 | 1.69 | +1,274 bearers (+34.3%) | Up 1,453 places |
| 2020 | #6,951 | 4,659 | 1.56 | -329 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 190 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zendejas surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,761 | #6,951 | -2.8% |
| Count | 4,988 | 4,659 | -6.6% |
| Per 100K | 1.69 | 1.56 | -7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zendejas bearers went from 4,988 to 4,659 (-6.6% change). The surname moved down 190 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,761 to #6,951.
FAQ
Zendejas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zendejas?
Name Census estimates that about 5,343 living Americans carry the surname Zendejas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 64,150 residents.
How common is Zendejas?
Zendejas ranks #6,951 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.56 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,659 people with the surname Zendejas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,343), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.56 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.56 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Zendejas.
Has Zendejas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zendejas went from 4,988 recorded bearers to 4,659. That is a decrease of 329 (-6.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,761 to #6,951.
What does the Census say about the background of Zendejas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zendejas, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 95.4%. The next largest groups are White (3.6%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zendejas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (4,447 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zendejas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (95.4%), White (3.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zendejas (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zendejas mean?
A Spanish toponymic surname derived from the Basque place name Zendeja, meaning "a place of ascent or climbing." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zendejas (1.56 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Zendejas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.