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

Zera, 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 Zera surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zera in America

Zera is the 43732nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zera surname appeared 493 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 Zera.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zera 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 Zera

The surname Zera is believed to have originated from Eastern Europe, with a strong likelihood of Polish or Hungarian roots. The etymology of the name is not entirely clear, but it is thought to be derived from the Old Polish word "zierać," which means to collect or gather. Alternatively, the name may have connections to the Hungarian word "zéró," meaning zero, or none, indicating someone who started from humble beginnings.

One of the earliest mentions of the name Zera appears in 15th-century Polish records. Manuscripts from that period show variations such as Ziera and Siera, which indicate a common phonetic evolution in surnames. It was not uncommon for surnames to change slightly in spelling as they were transcribed by different clerks and officials throughout history.

A notable historical reference to the surname Zera can be found in the Kingdom of Hungary during the 16th century. A land registry document from 1553 mentions a nobleman named István Zera, who owned a small estate in what is now Slovakia. István Zera's recorded activities included the management of agricultural properties, indicating a possibly esteemed position within the rural community.

In the 17th century, another significant individual bearing the Zera surname was Mikolaj Zera, a Polish scribe who worked for the bishopric in Kraków. Mikolaj Zera's records from 1682 reveal his involvement in the transcription of important religious texts and documents, highlighting the surname's association with scholarly and ecclesiastical work in that era.

The Zera surname also appeared in the Italian region of Veneto during the 18th century. An archival document from 1731 lists Giovanni Zera as a merchant in Venice. Giovanni Zera's business transactions included trade in spices and textiles, reflecting the economic activities flourishing in Venice at that time and suggesting the surname's spread beyond its point of origin.

In the 19th century, the surname Zera appears in the annals of American immigration records. One notable record is that of Emil Zera, born in 1820, who emigrated from Hungary to the United States in 1854. Emil Zera established himself as a farmer in Illinois, contributing to the agricultural development of the region. His descendants continued to carry the surname, ensuring its presence in the New World.

Another prominent figure in the 19th century was Anna Zera, born in 1865 in Poland. She became known for her involvement in the women's suffrage movement in Warsaw. Her passionate speeches and organizational skills helped push forward the campaign for women's rights in Poland, marking the surname's association with social activism.

The surname Zera has a rich and varied history, reflecting migrations, occupations, and the evolving societal roles of those who bore it. Over centuries, individuals with this surname have left their mark in regions such as Poland, Hungary, Italy, and the United States, each contributing to the mosaic of the name's legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zera

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

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

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

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