2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zenoni
Possibly a surname derived from the Italian town of Zenone.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Zenoni. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zenoni 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Zenoni in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zenoni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zenoni
The surname Zenoni finds its origins in Italy, specifically from the northern regions around Lombardy. The name likely emerged during the early Middle Ages, around the 9th to 10th centuries, a period of significant migration and settlement throughout the Italian peninsula. The Zenoni name is believed to have derived from an old Roman name, Zenon, which in turn comes from the Greek Ζηνων (Zenon), meaning "of Zeus" or "gift of Zeus". Zeus was the chief deity in Greek mythology, symbolizing power and authority, suggesting that the name may have been initially adopted to convey a sense of familial prestige or divine favor.
The earliest records of the Zenoni surname can be traced back to medieval Lombardy, a region known for its rich history and cultural development. Manuscripts and archives from various monasteries and churches in the area contain references to the name. For instance, a document from the Abbey of Sant'Ambrogio in Milan dated to 1145 mentions an individual named Giovanni Zenoni, indicating the presence and social standing of the Zenoni family in the region during that period. Though exact details of Giovanni's life remain sparse, his inclusion in such records suggests he was a person of some significance.
One notable figure bearing the Zenoni surname is Matteo Zenoni, a 15th-century merchant from Bergamo who was known for his extensive trading within the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions. His business acumen and connections are documented in trade logs and correspondences preserved in the Venetian archives. Matteo's success in commerce would have significantly contributed to the prominence of the Zenoni name during the Renaissance period.
Another prominent individual was Francesco Zenoni, who lived in the early 17th century. He was a scholar and a poet, producing works that reflected the humanist ideals of his time. His manuscripts, housed in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana in Milan, reveal a man deeply engaged in the intellectual movements that swept through Europe during the Age of Enlightenment.
In the 18th century, Alessandro Zenoni made a name for himself as a captain in the Venetian navy. His exploits during the Wars of the Spanish Succession, detailed in the naval records of the Republic of Venice, earned him recognition and commendations. Captain Zenoni's leadership and bravery in several naval battles helped safeguard Venetian trade routes, further cementing the Zenoni legacy.
By the 19th century, the Zenoni surname was carried by individuals such as Pietro Zenoni, an architect and urban planner who contributed to several public works in Milan. His designs and plans, which include the renowned Teatro alla Scala renovation project, reflect the growing influence of the Zenoni family in civil and cultural spheres during this industrializing era.
Each of these historical figures highlights the diverse contributions of the Zenoni family to Italian history and culture. Their legacy, recorded in various historical documents, manuscripts, and public records, provides a snapshot of the enduring prominence of this noteworthy surname through the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zenoni
Among Census respondents with the surname Zenoni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zenoni 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 Zenoni surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.5% · 107
- Two or more races4.3% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zenoni
Zenoni 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,607 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Down 7,607 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Up 5,125 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 Zenoni 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 | #149,395 | #144,270 | 3.4% |
| Count | 110 | 117 | 6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zenoni bearers went from 110 to 117 (+6.4% change). The surname moved up 5,125 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #144,270.
FAQ
Zenoni surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zenoni?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Zenoni. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Zenoni?
Zenoni ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Zenoni. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zenoni.
Has Zenoni become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zenoni went from 110 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 7 (+6.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Zenoni?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zenoni, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.3%) and Hispanic (1.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zenoni in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.5% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zenoni appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.5%), Two or More Races (4.3%), Hispanic (1.7%). 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 Zenoni (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 Zenoni mean?
Possibly a surname derived from the Italian town of Zenone. 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 Zenoni (0.04 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 common is the surname Zenoni?
For a quick modern take, check how many people are called Zenoni on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.