2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Zintzun
A surname derived from the Nahuatl word "zintzun", meaning a small bird.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Zintzun. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zintzun 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Zintzun in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zintzun, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zintzun
The surname Zintzun is of indigenous origin from Mexico, specifically from the Purépecha people of the region historically known as Michoacán. The Purépecha are one of the pre-Columbian civilizations in Mexico, and their language, also called Purépecha, provides the roots for many surnames in that area. The surname Zintzun derives from the Purépecha word "Zintzuni," meaning "hummingbird." This bird is culturally significant and considered a sacred animal by the Purépecha, symbolizing vibrancy and agility.
The usage of the surname Zintzun can be traced back to the early colonial period in New Spain, now modern-day Mexico, starting from the 16th century. During this time, many indigenous people were baptized and registered under Spanish rule, and indigenous surnames were often retained as part of their identity. Early records from this era, such as church registries and census documents, occasionally mention individuals with the surname Zintzun, although the records are not always comprehensive due to the tumultuous nature of colonization.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Zintzun is Tzintzincha Tztereman, who was a cacique (chief) of Apupato, a town in the Lake Pátzcuaro region. Tzintzincha Tztereman lived during the late 16th century, and his name appears in several petitions to the colonial authorities, asserting the rights of his people. Another historical figure is Francisco Zintzun, a notable landowner and community leader during the 17th century who was instrumental in negotiating agricultural trading rights in Michoacán.
Throughout the centuries, the surname Zintzun has been carried by various notable individuals. Juan Zintzun, born in the early 18th century, was a recognized artist known for his intricate pottery that reflected the traditional Purépecha style. His works were preserved in various local museums in Michoacán. In the 19th century, Maria Dolores Zintzun, born in 1823, became an influential midwife and healer who contributed extensively to the community's health practices in the region.
In the 20th century, the name Zintzun continued to be prominent, one notable person being Antonio Zintzun Aguirre, born in 1905. He was a pioneering educator and advocate for preserving the Purépecha language and culture. His efforts in the academic field ensured the survival and recognition of the Purépecha heritage in modern Mexican society.
Another recent historical figure is Lucia Zintzun, born in 1952, who gained fame as an activist fighting for indigenous rights and environmental conservation in Michoacán. Her campaigns have brought significant policy changes and heightened awareness about the plight of indigenous communities and their ancestral lands.
Through the centuries, the surname Zintzun has remained a symbol of cultural pride and historical continuity for the Purépecha people. Its association with notable historical figures and their contributions to society underscores the enduring legacy of this indigenous heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zintzun
Among Census respondents with the surname Zintzun, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zintzun 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 Zintzun surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino88.7% · 102
- White8.7% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zintzun
Zintzun 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
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+14 bearers (+13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,955 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.9%) | Up 13,955 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 Zintzun 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 | #159,712 | #145,757 | 8.7% |
| Count | 101 | 115 | 13.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 28.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zintzun bearers went from 101 to 115 (+13.9% change). The surname moved up 13,955 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #145,757.
FAQ
Zintzun surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zintzun?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Zintzun. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Zintzun?
Zintzun ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Zintzun. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Zintzun.
Has Zintzun become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zintzun went from 101 recorded bearers to 115. That is an increase of 14 (+13.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Zintzun?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zintzun, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 88.7%. The next largest groups are White (8.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zintzun in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.7% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zintzun appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (88.7%), White (8.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.7%). 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 Zintzun (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 Zintzun mean?
A surname derived from the Nahuatl word "zintzun", meaning a small bird. 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 Zintzun (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 have the surname Zintzun?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.