Zevallos last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zevallos

A Spanish surname derived from the placename Cevallos in La Rioja, Spain.

Zevallos, 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 Zevallos surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zevallos in America

Zevallos is the 21524th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zevallos surname appeared 1,213 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 Zevallos.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zevallos 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 21524 29359 -30.80%
Count 1,213 759 46.04%
Proportion per 100k 0.41 0.28 37.68%

The history of the last name Zevallos

Zevallos is a surname that traces its origins to the Iberian Peninsula, particularly from regions that are now part of Spain. The name is believed to have first appeared around the Late Middle Ages, likely in the 14th or 15th century. Historical records suggest the surname Zevallos was most prevalent in areas such as Castile and Galicia. The etymology of the name is thought to be linked to the Spanish word "cevallos," a variation of "caballos," which translates to "horses" in English. This implies that the original bearers of the surname may have been involved in horse breeding or cavalry.

The earliest known references to the name appear in ecclesiastical and municipal documents. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zevallos is in a document dated 1432, pertaining to a land transaction in Galicia. Another notable mention is in the Archivo General de Simancas, where a family named Zevallos is recorded as having been granted lands by the crown in the late 15th century.

One of the prominent figures in history with this surname is Don Pedro de Zevallos, born in 1512 in Castile. He was a knight in the service of King Philip II and took part in numerous military campaigns during the Spanish Reconquista. Another significant individual is Isabella de Zevallos, a noblewoman born in 1587, known for her charitable works and contributions to the construction of several convents in Andalusia.

Into the 17th century, the surname appears with various spellings, including Ceballos and Zeballos, as phonetic variations became common due to regional dialects. Gaspar Zevallos, born in 1620, was a notable figure during this period, having served as an advisor to King Philip IV and playing a key role in the administration of colonial affairs in the Americas.

Moving forward, Francisco de Zevallos, born in 1695, is another key historical figure. A distinguished general, he played a crucial role in the War of Spanish Succession and later in the military administration of Spanish territories in Italy. The name also surfaces in various literary works and legal documents from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Entering the 19th century, José María Zevallos, born in 1824, emerges as a notable intellectual and politician in Spain. He was heavily involved in the liberal movements of the time and played a pivotal role in the drafting of several reformist legislations. His writings and speeches are still studied as significant contributions to Spanish political thought.

Throughout history, the surname Zevallos has continued to be associated with individuals of notable achievements in various fields, reflecting its rich legacy and historical significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zevallos

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

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 Zevallos was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 8.49% 103
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.41% 5
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 90.93% 1,103

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 8.49% 8.96% -5.39%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.41% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 90.93% 90.12% 0.89%

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

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

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

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

Zevallos last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zevallos-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.