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

Zeni, 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 Zeni surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeni in America

Zeni is the 55255th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeni surname appeared 372 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 Zeni.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeni 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 Zeni

The surname Zeni has its origins in Italy, dating back to medieval times. Predominantly found in the northern regions of Italy, the surname is rooted in areas such as Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige, and Lombardy. It is derived from the Latin word "genius," meaning "genius" or "spirit," symbolizing intelligence or creativity. One of the earlier mentions of the name can be found in Venetian records from the 13th century, where it was spelled as "Zenni" or "Zeno."

Zeni appeared in various historical manuscripts and records, often connected with the mercantile and artisan classes. One notable historical reference is the Cartulario del Monastero di San Cipriano, a collection of medieval documents, where the name Zeni is mentioned in the late 13th century. The Zeni family was involved in various trades, contributing to their prominence in local history.

Early records of the surname include Giovanni Zeni, born around 1320 in Venice, who was a prominent merchant involved in the textile trade. Antonio Zeni, another significant figure, born in the early 15th century, became well-known for his contributions to the nautical and cartographic sciences. He was part of a lineage of Venetian cartographers who played crucial roles during the Age of Exploration.

In the 16th century, the name Zeni appeared in the annals of the Republic of Venice, with Bartolomeo Zeni being a notable artist born in 1558. He was recognized for his intricate fresco work in various Venetian churches. Another Renaissance figure, Lorenzo Zeni, born in 1570, was an accomplished architect who contributed to several significant structures in the Veneto region.

The Zeni surname continued to gain prominence in more recent centuries. In the 18th century, Maria Zeni, born in 1722, was known for her work as a midwife in the Veneto region, and her skills were highly sought after. In the 19th century, Francesco Zeni, born in 1801, became a distinguished composer whose works were performed in many Italian theaters, adding to the cultural legacy of the Zeni name.

Throughout history, the Zeni surname has been associated with a rich cultural and intellectual heritage. Its bearers have made notable contributions to trade, science, art, and music, solidifying the name's place in Italian history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeni

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!