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

Zerega, 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 Zerega surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zerega in America

Zerega is the 79338th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zerega surname appeared 240 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 Zerega.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zerega 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 Zerega

The surname Zerega has its origins in Italy, specifically from the Liguria region in the northwest part of the country. The time period of the surname's inception appears to be around the late Middle Ages, approximately the 14th or 15th century. Liguria, with its capital Genoa, was historically significant due to its maritime power and trade.

The name Zerega likely derives from older Italian dialectal words. One plausible origin is the Ligurian word "zerga," which translates to "a maze" or "a twist," reflecting the region's rugged and intricate terrain or possibly indicating a person who lived by or worked with pathways or roads that had such characteristics. Another hypothesis suggests derivation from the word "zerega" meaning "ploughshare," indicating a connection to agriculture.

The earliest known records of the surname Zerega can be traced back to local civic documents and parish records. One such reference is found in a 1490 Genoese manuscript that lists a Luca Zerega as a merchant involved in trade between Genoa and Venice. These documents highlight the mobility and economic activities of the Zerega family in the maritime republics of the time.

In the 16th century, a notable figure was Francesco Zerega (born 1522, died 1587), a shipbuilder from Genoa. His contributions to naval architecture were recognized in historical accounts from the period. Another remarkable figure was Isabella Zerega (born 1610, died 1675), mentioned in various sources as a philanthropist who funded the establishment of a hospital in her hometown.

The 17th century saw another Zerega with historical significance, Giovanni Battista Zerega (born 1635, died 1702), who was a politician and held several important public offices in Genoa. He was known for his reforms in maritime law, documented in city annals.

In the 18th century, Matteo Zerega (born 1711, died 1776) rose to prominence as an artist whose works were primarily religious in theme. His paintings can still be found in several churches across Liguria.

Giuseppe Zerega (born 1786, died 1834) was an influential figure during the Napoleonic Wars, serving as an officer in the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia. His military career is well documented in various 19th-century military records.

Throughout history, the Zerega surname retained its connection to Liguria, despite migrations due to trade and political circumstances. The variations in spelling were minimal due to the name's strong regional identity, with consistent usage across records spanning centuries. The surname today stands as a testament to the historical legacy and regional identity of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zerega

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

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

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

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