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

Zila, 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 Zila surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zila in America

Zila is the 110286th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zila surname appeared 160 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 Zila.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zila 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 Zila

The surname Zila has rich historical roots predominantly traced back to Central and Eastern Europe, with notable concentration in regions that were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The origins of the name can be linked to Czech, Slovak, Hungarian, and Polish communities, where variations of the name appeared in different historical manuscripts.

Zila most likely derived from the Germanic word "ziel," which means target or goal, and may have originally served as a nickname for a determined individual. Another possibility is its association with the Slovak word "žila," meaning vein, which could indicate a person known for their vitality or strength. This etymological background suggests a name given for distinguishing personal qualities or occupations.

Records from the 15th century indicate the first emergence of families bearing the name Zila in Bohemia, a historical region in the present-day Czech Republic. By the 16th century, the name spread to neighboring countries through migration and trade. Historical references highlight a land document from 1535 mentioning a family named Zila in a village near Prague. This illustrates the name's presence and significance in local governance and land ownership.

One of the earliest prominent individuals with the surname Zila was Martin Zila, a notable merchant born in 1612 in Bratislava, then part of the Kingdom of Hungary. His trade connections across Europe brought considerable wealth and influence, making the Zila name well-known in mercantile circles. Another prominent person was József Zila, an 18th-century Hungarian rural leader noted for his charismatic defense of peasant rights.

In the region of Poland, the Zila surname can be traced back to the 17th century, where documents cite Katarzyna Zila, born in 1654, a landowner in the Masovian Voivodeship. Her guardianship over extensive farmlands showcases the name’s association with agrarian wealth and local leadership.

The surname entered Hungarian nobility records in the 19th century through Barón Zoltán Zila, born in 1823, who fought in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. His efforts earned him a distinguished place in Hungarian history and further solidified the prominence of the Zila family name in noble circles.

In the early 20th century, the Slovak poet and writer Imrich Zila, born in 1877, brought cultural acclaim to the name. His works, which reflect Slovak nationalism and identity, resonated widely, ensuring that the Zila surname retained a presence in literary and intellectual domains.

Overall, the history of the surname Zila is marked by its diverse geographical spread, its derivation from meaningful local words, and its association with notable individuals across different fields, maintaining its relevance through centuries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zila

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

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

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

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