2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zingo
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "zinghero" meaning "gypsy."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Zingo. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zingo 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Zingo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zingo, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zingo
The surname Zingo is believed to have originated in Italy, with records suggesting its presence as far back as the medieval period. The name is likely derived from the Italian word "zingaro," which translates to "gypsy" or "nomad." This term was historically used to describe the Romani people or wandering tribes, highlighting a potential connection to a lifestyle of travel or itinerant trades.
Zingo might have emerged in regions known for their Romani populations or itinerant communities, particularly in southern Italy. The name's early bearers could have been artisans, performers, or merchants who traveled extensively. Variants of the surname, such as Zingari or Zingaro, can be found in old manuscripts and church records from the 14th and 15th centuries in places like Naples and Sicily.
Historical references to people with the surname Zingo are relatively sparse but notable. One of the earliest recorded instances is Francesco Zingo, a merchant documented in Genoa in the early 1500s. His trade in luxury goods and spices indicates a connection with the broader Mediterranean trade networks of the time.
By the 17th century, the name appears in several Italian port cities, including Matteo Zingo, a seafarer based in Venice around 1630. His maritime activities and involvement in naval expeditions were recorded in Venetian ship logs, marking another significant chapter in the surname's history.
In the 18th century, Giovanni Battista Zingo, a noted sculptor, gained prominence in Rome for his artistic contributions to various churches and public buildings. Born in 1722 and passing away in 1781, his works in marble and bronze remain celebrated for their intricate craftsmanship and baroque style.
The 19th century saw the emergence of Maria Zingo, a talented opera singer from Milan born in 1835. Her performances across Europe garnered acclaim, particularly for her roles in Verdi's operas. Her career reflects the cultural and artistic heritage associated with the surname.
By the early 20th century, records show Antonio Zingo, a political activist from Naples involved in the labor movement. Born in 1880, he was an advocate for workers' rights and played a significant role in early socialism in Italy, illustrating a shift in the surname's association from arts and trade to social and political activism.
The legacy of the Zingo surname, with its rich history and varied contributions, mirrors the dynamic and multifaceted nature of Italian heritage and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zingo
Among Census respondents with the surname Zingo, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zingo 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 Zingo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zingo
Zingo appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-2 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,197 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,379 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 12,197 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Up 7,379 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 Zingo 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 | #156,044 | #148,665 | 4.7% |
| Count | 104 | 111 | 6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zingo bearers went from 104 to 111 (+6.7% change). The surname moved up 7,379 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #148,665.
FAQ
Zingo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zingo?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Zingo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Zingo?
Zingo ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Zingo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Zingo.
Has Zingo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zingo went from 104 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 7 (+6.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Zingo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zingo, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Zingo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zingo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Zingo (2000, 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 Zingo mean?
An Italian surname derived from the Italian word "zinghero" meaning "gypsy." 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 Zingo (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 Zingo?
See how many people have the last name Zingo on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.