Zoccoli last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zoccoli

An Italian surname derived from the word for wooden clogs or shoes.

Zoccoli, 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 Zoccoli surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zoccoli in America

Zoccoli is the 82317th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zoccoli surname appeared 229 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 Zoccoli.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zoccoli 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 82317 80502 2.23%
Count 229 219 4.46%
Proportion per 100k 0.08 0.08 0.00%

The history of the last name Zoccoli

Zoccoli is an Italian surname with its origins tracing back to medieval Italy. The name is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Italy, particularly in areas like Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy. The etymology of Zoccoli can be connected to the Italian word "zoccolo," which means "wooden shoe" or "clog." These clogs were traditionally worn by peasants, suggesting the name could have originally referred to someone who made or sold wooden shoes.

During the Medieval period, surnames were often derived from occupations, physical characteristics, or local geography. The connection to "zoccolo" indicates a likely occupational origin, where the name was adopted by families involved in the production or trade of these shoes. Old records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries include similar spellings like Zocolus and Zuccolis.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in a 1325 manuscript from the region of Emilia-Romagna, where a Giovanni Zoccoli is listed as a landowner. This early documentation highlights the name's presence in northern Italy during this historical period.

In the 15th century, a renowned figure with the surname was Lorenzo Zoccoli, born in 1423 and a notable sculptor from Bologna. Lorenzo’s work contributed significantly to the art scene of the Renaissance era in Italy, with some of his sculptures still preserved in museums today.

During the 16th century, another prominent individual, Andrea Zoccoli, gained recognition as a merchant in Venice. Born in 1549, Andrea played a vital role in the trade networks between Italy and the Ottoman Empire, showcasing the integration and influence of the Zoccoli family in commerce and international relations.

In the 19th century, Giulia Zoccoli, born in 1821, emerged as a prominent figure in the Italian unification movement. As an active supporter of Italian independence, she worked closely with leaders like Giuseppe Mazzini and took part in numerous political actions aimed at consolidating Italy into a single nation-state.

The surname also found its way to the Americas, with Antonio Zoccoli, born in 1860, being a notable immigrant to the United States. Antonio settled in New York and became an influential figure within the Italian-American community, contributing to the cultural cohesion and social welfare of his fellow immigrants.

Antonio’s lineage continued to have an impact in the 20th century with Maria Zoccoli, born in 1901, who became an accomplished writer and poet in Argentina. Her literary contributions enriched the Hispanic cultural landscape and provided a voice for the Italian diaspora in South America.

Overall, the Zoccoli surname encapsulates a rich history interwoven with occupation, migration, and significant contributions to various fields through several centuries. Its roots in northern Italy and connection to the craft of wooden shoes highlight the cultural and social evolution of this family name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zoccoli

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

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 Zoccoli was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.51% 221
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 3.06% 7

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 Zoccoli has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.51% 98.17% -1.71%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Hispanic 3.06% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Zoccoli last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoccoli-surname-popularity/.

"Zoccoli last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoccoli-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Zoccoli last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoccoli-surname-popularity/.

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