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

Zezza, 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 Zezza surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zezza in America

Zezza is the 80419th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zezza surname appeared 236 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 Zezza.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zezza 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 Zezza

The surname Zezza likely originates from Italy and can be traced back to the Italian region of Campania. This name could have emerged as early as the medieval period, with the first references to it appearing in the 13th or 14th centuries. The areas where this surname was initially found include the provinces of Naples and Salerno, which have historically been centers of trade and culture in southern Italy.

The name Zezza is believed to derive from the Italian word zezza which means “hissing” or “whistling,” possibly referring to someone who had a noticeable way of speaking or a distinctive voice. Alternatively, it might originate from an old Italian dialect word meaning "islet" or "riverbank," hinting at the family's long-ago geographic or occupational connections.

Historical records from the early modern period provide glimpses of the surname Zezza. For instance, a 15th-century document from the Kingdom of Naples mentions a Giovanni Zezza as a merchant involved in the trade of spices and textiles. Another early reference appears in ecclesiastical records, with a Father Antonio Zezza being noted as a significant religious figure in Naples during the early 16th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in official documents dates back to 1548, where a legal transaction in the town of Salerno listed a Lorenzo Zezza as a witness in a land dispute. This presence in legal and religious records suggests that the Zezza family was relatively established and well-known in their local community.

The Zezza surname can also be found in historical references to place names. In the province of Avellino, there existed a small hamlet known as Zezza that might have lent its name to its inhabitants. Place names often served as a source of surnames in medieval Italy when people would be identified by the region or town they originated from.

Various notable individuals have carried the Zezza surname through history. For example, Alessandro Zezza, born in 1622, became a prominent judge in Naples and was known for his contributions to the judicial reforms of the time. Michelangelo Zezza, a painter from the late 17th century, gained recognition for his artistic works that decorated several churches in southern Italy.

Moving forward in history, the 18th-century figure Luisa Zezza, born in 1741 in the town of Benevento, was a renowned poet whose writings contributed to the local literary scene. In the 19th century, Giuseppe Zezza, born in 1825, was a noted composer who enriched the Italian operatic and musical landscape.

Another fascinating individual was Federigo Zezza, born in 1867, who played a crucial role as a diplomat in bridging Italian political interests during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His career highlights demonstrate the evolution and continued relevance of the Zezza surname beyond the Middle Ages into modern European history.

Throughout the centuries, the Zezza surname has made its mark in various spheres, from commerce and law to the arts and diplomacy, reflecting the dynamic history and varied contributions of those who have carried the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zezza

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

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

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

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