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

Zilli, 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 Zilli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zilli in America

Zilli is the 88336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zilli surname appeared 210 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 Zilli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zilli 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 Zilli

The surname Zilli originates from Italy, particularly from the northern regions of the country, such as Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The name is believed to have arisen in the early medieval period, around the 9th to 11th centuries, reflecting the region's rich history of migrations and cultural exchanges.

The etymology of Zilli likely traces back to a diminutive form of a given name or a nickname. It possibly derived from the Germanic name Zilio or Zelo, or it may be connected to the Latin word "silex," meaning flint or hard rock, which could have been a reference to a person's character or occupation. Throughout history, the spelling of surnames often varied, so Zilli might have appeared in old records with different variations such as Zillo or Zello.

One of the earliest mentions of the surname Zilli can be found in medieval Italian documents and church records. For example, in the 13th century, a document from the Venetian archives records a Giovanni Zilli, a small landowner in the province of Treviso. This indicates the presence of the name in legal and property records, suggesting its bearers were involved in local economic activities.

In the 15th century, the name appears in the context of Venetian mercantile and maritime activities. Francesco Zilli, born in 1452, was documented as a merchant who engaged in trade across the Adriatic Sea. His business ventures took him to the coasts of Istria and Dalmatia, regions that were part of the Venetian Republic's sphere of influence.

The surname gained some prominence during the Renaissance period. In 1573, Lorenzo Zilli, a noted scholar and a scribe in the Republic of Venice, contributed to various intellectual discourses of his time. His writings and correspondences with other Renaissance thinkers have been preserved, shedding light on the intellectual landscape of the period.

By the 18th century, the Zilli name had spread beyond the confines of the Venetian territories. For instance, Giuseppe Zilli, born in 1720 in the Friuli region, was a prominent figure known for his work in agronomy and agricultural reforms. His efforts to improve farming techniques and crop yields made him a respected figure in agricultural communities.

In the 19th century, Alessandra Zilli, born in 1805, became notable for her work in the field of education. As a dedicated teacher in the Veneto region, she played a crucial role in advancing women's education and literacy at a time when such efforts were pivotal in shaping modern Italian society.

Throughout its history, the surname Zilli has been carried by individuals contributing to diverse fields such as commerce, scholarship, and agriculture. These historical mentions not only illustrate the spread and influence of the name but also highlight the various roles its bearers have played in the fabric of Italian history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zilli

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

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

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

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