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

Ziv, 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 Ziv surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ziv in America

Ziv is the 61123rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ziv surname appeared 329 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 Ziv.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ziv 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 Ziv

The surname Ziv originates from Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, particularly from regions within modern-day Poland, Lithuania, and Russia. The name's roots can be traced back to the Hebrew word "זיו" (Ziv), meaning "radiance" or "brilliance." This surname likely emerged during a period when Jews were required to adopt family names, which began in these regions around the late 18th to early 19th centuries under the influence of various governmental pressures for population registration and taxation purposes.

Early historical references to the surname Ziv can be found in Jewish community records and synagogues in Eastern Europe. For instance, a notable figure is Rabbi Mordechai Ziv of Vilna (now Vilnius, Lithuania), who lived in the mid-19th century (circa 1820-1890). He was well-regarded for his religious scholarship and contributions to local Jewish education.

The surname also appears in historical documents such as birth, marriage, and death registers of Jewish communities. One of the earliest recorded examples is a mention in the 1840 census records of the Jewish community in Warsaw, Poland, where a David Ziv is listed as a merchant. This indicates the surname was well established within urban Jewish populations engaged in trade and commerce.

In the latter part of the 19th century, during periods of significant migration, individuals bearing the surname Ziv could be found moving to Western Europe and the United States. For example, Isaac Ziv, born in 1873 in Vilna, emigrated to New York in 1895, where he became an influential figure in establishing mutual aid societies for Jewish immigrants.

The Ziv surname has also been associated with notable individuals in various fields. Yael Ziv (1887-1965), born in Odessa and later a prominent Zionist activist, played a crucial role in the early 20th-century efforts to establish Jewish settlements in Palestine. Another prominent individual is Moshe Ziv (1894-1956), a renowned sculptor and artist, whose works gained acclaim in both pre-World War II Europe and post-war Israel.

Variations in spelling such as Ziw or Syw can sometimes be found in historical documents, particularly due to transliteration discrepancies and regional dialects. However, Ziv remains the most recognized and consistent form. Despite the many upheavals faced by Jewish communities through history, the name Ziv has retained its symbolism of light and clarity, bearing testament to the enduring cultural heritage of its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ziv

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

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

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

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