2010
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zolotarev
A surname derived from the Russian word "zolotarev," meaning "goldsmith" or "dealer in gold."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Zolotarev. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zolotarev 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Zolotarev in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolotarev, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zolotarev
The surname Zolotarev has its origins in Russia and is closely associated with the Russian language and its cultural history. Deriving from the old Russian word "zoloto," meaning "gold", the name Zolotarev is occupational in nature. It historically referred to someone who worked with gold, either as a goldsmith or jeweler. The suffix "-arev" is a common patronymic or descriptive suffix in Russian surnames, denoting association or belonging.
Early records from the regions of Russia that are now part of modern-day Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia show the widespread use of similar surnames and the occupational root of the name. The earliest documented references to individuals with the surname Zolotarev can be found in parish registers and local government records from the 16th and 17th centuries. These records indicate families involved in metal work and jewelry making.
One of the most notable early mentions of a Zolotarev is Fyodor Petrovich Zolotarev, a goldsmith from Moscow, documented around 1625. Fyodor was known for his craftsmanship, and his name appears in records related to the Tsar’s court, providing ornate items for Russian nobility.
In the 19th century, Vasily Andreyevich Zolotarev (1872–1964) emerged as a renowned Russian composer. He was a student of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and contributed significantly to Russian classical music. His work remains influential in the study of Russian music of that era.
Another prominent figure is Aleksandr Aleksandrovich Zolotarev, a revolutionary activist early in the 20th century. Born in 1889, he was involved in numerous political movements and associated with some of the influential figures of the Russian Revolution.
In more recent history, Igor Ivanovich Zolotarev, noted for his contributions to astronomy, made significant advancements during the late 20th century. Born in 1948, he authored several papers that are still cited in contemporary astronomical research.
Anastasia Zolotarev, a prominent actress born in 1920, enjoyed a flourishing career in Soviet theatre and film, becoming a recognized face in Russian entertainment during the mid-20th century. Her works remain a part of the cultural heritage of Russian cinema.
Each of these individuals illustrates the diverse fields in which people with the surname Zolotarev have excelled, from craftsmanship and music to revolutionary activities, science, and the arts. This historical backdrop provides a rich understanding of the surname’s origins and its bearers' contributions throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zolotarev
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolotarev, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zolotarev 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 Zolotarev surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.3% · 99
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zolotarev
Zolotarev 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
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-28 bearers (-21.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,740 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -28 bearers (-21.1%) | Down 24,740 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 Zolotarev 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 | #128,249 | #152,989 | -19.3% |
| Count | 133 | 105 | -21.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -29.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zolotarev bearers went from 133 to 105 (-21.1% change). The surname moved down 24,740 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #152,989.
FAQ
Zolotarev surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zolotarev?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Zolotarev. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Zolotarev?
Zolotarev ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Zolotarev. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Zolotarev.
Has Zolotarev become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zolotarev went from 133 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 28 (-21.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #128,249 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Zolotarev?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolotarev, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.9%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Zolotarev in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.3% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zolotarev appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.3%), Two or More Races (2.9%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Zolotarev (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 Zolotarev mean?
A surname derived from the Russian word "zolotarev," meaning "goldsmith" or "dealer in gold." 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 Zolotarev (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 Zolotarev?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.