Zervos last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zervos

A surname derived from Greek meaning 'servant' or 'slave.'

Zervos, 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 Zervos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zervos in America

Zervos is the 32169th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zervos surname appeared 717 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 Zervos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zervos 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 32169 34799 -7.85%
Count 717 614 15.48%
Proportion per 100k 0.24 0.23 4.26%

The history of the last name Zervos

The surname Zervos has its origins in Greece, specifically from regions including the Peloponnese and the islands of the Aegean Sea. It is derived from the ancient Greek word "ζερβός" (zervos), which means "left-handed." This etymology suggests that the surname may have originally been a descriptive term used to identify left-handed individuals within a community.

The surname can be traced back to medieval Byzantine times, when surnames began to be used more systematically. During this period, Greek society often employed descriptive surnames based on physical traits, professions, or places of origin. The term zervos was commonly used to denote someone who used their left hand predominantly, which was a notable characteristic.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Zervos in historical manuscripts dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries in the Byzantine Empire. These records are crucial for understanding the dissemination of the surname within the Greek-speaking world.

A known individual with the surname Zervos in the early 19th century is Nikolaos Zervos, born in 1800 and died in 1865, who was a notable figure in the Greek War of Independence. His contributions to the liberation efforts against Ottoman rule left a lasting legacy in Greek history.

Another distinguished person with this surname is Andreas Zervos (1878-1950), a prominent Greek politician and parliament member. His political influence was significant in shaping the early 20th-century Greek state.

In the realm of arts, Christian Zervos (1889-1970) stands out as a highly influential Greek-French art critic and publisher. He founded the renowned art journal "Cahiers d'Art" in Paris and became an essential figure in the modern art world, promoting several avant-garde artists.

The late 20th century saw Lefteris Zervos, born in 1945, an accomplished Greek musician known for his contributions to traditional Greek music and his efforts to preserve cultural heritage. His work has been instrumental in sustaining the Greek musical tradition.

Another individual, Vassilis Zervos, born in 1950, has made noteworthy contributions in the field of literature and education. His writings often reflect the rich cultural and historical tapestry of Greece, earning him recognition in academic circles.

The surname Zervos, while rooted deeply in Greek history and culture, has spread to various parts of the world due to migration and diaspora. The name continues to be a marker of Greek heritage and identity, connecting modern bearers to a rich historical legacy spanning centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zervos

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

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 Zervos was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 91.63% 657
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.84% 6
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 6.56% 47

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 Zervos has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 91.63% 94.46% -3.04%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.84% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% 1.14% (S)%
Hispanic 6.56% 4.07% 46.85%

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

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Zervos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zervos-surname-popularity/.

"Zervos last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zervos-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Zervos last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zervos-surname-popularity/.

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