Zetina last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zetina

A Spanish surname derived from the Basque place name "Zetina," meaning "from Zetina."

Zetina, 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 Zetina surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zetina in America

Zetina is the 21439th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zetina surname appeared 1,219 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 Zetina.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zetina 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 21439 30682 -35.47%
Count 1,219 717 51.86%
Proportion per 100k 0.41 0.27 41.18%

The history of the last name Zetina

The surname Zetina likely has its origins in Spain and dates back to the medieval period, a time characterized by complex socio-political structures and linguistic evolution. The name is believed to have emerged from regions such as Galicia or Castile, where the linguistic influence of Latin was particularly strong. The etymology of Zetina may be linked to old Spanish, possibly deriving from words related to geographical features or occupations.

Historical references to the name Zetina are sparse, given the obscurity of the name and its possible regional specificity. Early examples of the name may be found in land records, tax registers, or other administrative documents from the medieval period. These records would have been written in Latin or early forms of Spanish, and they may have undergone various transformations in spelling over time, reflecting the phonetic uncertainties of early scribes.

By the 16th and 17th centuries, documentation of the surname Zetina becomes slightly more frequent. An early recorded instance is Jacobo Zetina, a merchant in the bustling town of Seville in 1589. He was noted for his trade relations with the New World, indicative of the broader Spanish imperial activities during that period.

Moving into the 18th century, records show Diego Zetina as a prominent landowner in the region of Aragon around 1750. His estate was notably large and included vineyards that contributed significantly to the local economy. This period also saw a shift in the prominence of surnames due to social mobility and economic changes.

In the 19th century, Maria Zetina made her mark as an early advocate for educational reforms in Madrid. Born in 1823, she became a significant figure in promoting literacy and elementary education, often opposing the more conservative elements of Spanish society. Her efforts were recorded in several educational journals of the time.

The 20th century saw Hector Zetina, born in 1902, become a noted author and historian specializing in the history of Southern Spain. His works, particularly his extensive writings on the Andalusian influence in Spanish culture, remain influential and continue to be cited in academic circles.

Finally, an important figure is Carlos Zetina, who became a celebrated Mexican engineer in the mid-20th century. Born in 1921, he played a crucial role in the development of infrastructure projects in Mexico City during a period of rapid urbanization and modernization. His technical expertise and leadership left a lasting impact on the city's development.

The surname Zetina, with its rich historical backdrop, reflects the dynamic interplay of geography, occupation, and social status across centuries in Spain and beyond. The individuals who bore this name contributed to various facets of society, leaving a legacy that continues to be remembered.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zetina

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

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 Zetina was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 5.00% 61
Non-Hispanic Black Only 2.63% 32
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.74% 9
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 90.81% 1,107

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 5.00% 3.07% 47.83%
Black 2.63% 1.81% 36.94%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.74% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% 3.63% (S)%
Hispanic 90.81% 91.07% -0.29%

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zetina, 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!

"Zetina last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zetina-surname-popularity/.

"Zetina last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zetina-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

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

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.