2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zilic
A surname of Croatian origin meaning "to live, to dwell".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Zilic. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zilic surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Zilic in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zilic, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zilic
The surname Zilic is believed to have origins in the Balkan region, particularly in the areas that are now part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, between the 13th and 15th centuries. One prevailing theory is that Zilic is derived from the Slavic personal name Žil, which means "to live" or "life" in various Slavic languages. The suffix -ić, common in the region, signifies "son of" or "descendant of," making Zilic roughly translate to "son of Žil" or "descendant of Žil."
Historical references to the Zilic surname are sparse but significant. One of the earliest documented instances of the name appears in Venetian records from the 16th century, where merchants and traders with the Zilic surname were noted. These records indicate the name’s presence and influence in commerce along the Adriatic coast. Another early reference is found in the Ottoman Empire's defter (tax registry) records from the late 15th century, which list families bearing the Zilic name in the region of Sandžak.
Jovan Zilic, a notable figure from the early 17th century, is one of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname. He was a local chieftain in what is today’s Montenegro, known for his resistance against Ottoman incursions. Another prominent figure is Katarina Zilic, born in 1763 and a distinguished poet in the Republic of Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik), whose work contributed significantly to the region's cultural heritage.
In the 19th century, Ivan Zilic made his mark as a respected scholar and linguist in Dalmatia. Born in 1839, he contributed extensively to the study of the Croatian language and folklore, helping to preserve and promote the cultural identity of the region. Similarly, Nikola Zilic, born in 1852, was a notable political figure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, advocating for greater autonomy and self-governance during the Austro-Hungarian rule.
In the early 20th century, Antun Zilic from Split became renowned as a pioneer in the field of mechanical engineering. Born in 1893, his innovations in shipbuilding techniques had a lasting impact on the maritime industry in the region. Another noteworthy individual was Dr. Ljubo Zilic, an eminent physician and public health advocate in Zagreb, born in 1907. His contributions to medical science and public health policies were widely recognized throughout Eastern Europe.
Throughout history, the Zilic surname has been carried by individuals who made significant contributions to social, cultural, and political spheres in the Balkan region. From medieval chieftains and poets to scholars and engineers, the name Zilic is steeped in a rich heritage that reflects the dynamic history of the Balkans.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zilic
Among Census respondents with the surname Zilic, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zilic bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zilic surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.2% · 119
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zilic
Zilic appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+11 bearers (+10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,403 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.1%) | Up 8,403 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zilic surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #142,049 | 5.6% |
| Count | 109 | 120 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zilic bearers went from 109 to 120 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 8,403 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #142,049.
FAQ
Zilic surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zilic?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Zilic. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Zilic?
Zilic ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Zilic. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zilic.
Has Zilic become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zilic went from 109 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 11 (+10.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Zilic?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zilic, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.2%. The next largest groups are Black (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zilic in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.2% (119 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zilic appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.2%), Black (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zilic (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zilic mean?
A surname of Croatian origin meaning "to live, to dwell". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zilic (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Zilic?
You can see how common the surname Zilic is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.