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

Zias, 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 Zias surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zias in America

Zias is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zias surname appeared 173 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 Zias.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zias 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 Zias

The surname Zias has its origins in Southern Europe, most notably in Greece. The name appears to have first emerged in the region during the Byzantine period, approximately between the 10th and 12th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Greek word “Zeus,” which is the name of the supreme god in ancient Greek mythology. Alternatively, it could be a shortened or altered form of longer Greek surnames such as Ziakos or Ziakas.

In antiquity, the name was linked to the reverence of the deity Zeus, and thus, may have been adopted by individuals who were either priests or devotees of Zeus. This historical context suggests that the name was primarily centered around areas with significant Hellenistic influence, such as Athens, Thessalonica, and the islands of the Aegean Sea.

Historical references to the surname Zias are sporadic, but one of the earliest known mentions appears in a 13th-century manuscript related to the Christian Orthodox Church. This document refers to a cleric named Ioannis Zias who lived during that period and was a scribe in the monastery of Mount Athos.

The earliest recorded example in official government records appears in a Venetian census from the island of Crete in the early 15th century. Here, the name Zias is listed among the inhabitants of a small village near Heraklion, indicating its spread from the mainland to the periphery.

In the late 17th century, a notable figure with this surname emerged in Greece: Nikolaos Zias, born in 1675 and died in 1730. He was a well-respected merchant who is credited with establishing trade routes between Greece and the Adriatic coast. His contributions to commerce were documented in trade logs and correspondences of that era.

Moving into the 18th century, another significant individual bearing the surname was Theodoros Zias (1705-1768), a prominent scholar and a tutor in the court of the Ottoman Empire. His works on Greek philosophy and literature were later published posthumously in the early 19th century.

In the 19th century, the name Zias made its way to the United States with immigrants from Greece seeking better opportunities. One of the more prominent figures was Demetrios Zias, who settled in New York City in 1892 and became known for his contributions to the Greek-American community. His descendants continued to play significant roles in cultural and business enterprises in the U.S.

Marie Zias, born in 1901 and died in 1975, was another noteworthy person. She was a pioneering female educator in Greece who pushed for the modernization of the country's educational system. Her works, particularly on integrating Western pedagogical principles into Greek schools, were seminal and highly influential.

Through these historical references and notable individuals, the surname Zias offers a rich tapestry of cultural and historical significance. Its linkage to ancient Greek mythology, its appearances in medieval records, and contributions of its bearers in various fields over centuries underline a fascinating legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zias

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

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

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

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