2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zolton
A Hungarian surname derived from a pet form of the given name Zsolt.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Zolton. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zolton 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Zolton in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zolton
The surname Zolton has its origins in Hungary, dating back to the early medieval period. The name is believed to have derived from the Hungarian name Zoltán, which has Turkic roots, specifically linked to the Old Turkic word "soltan" or "sultan," meaning ruler or king. The usage of this name was prominent during the Hungarian settlement in the Carpathian Basin around the 9th and 10th centuries.
The regions where the surname Zolton was originally found include areas of modern-day Hungary and parts of Transylvania in Romania. This surname represents the Hungarian adaptation of the Turkic term, reflecting the influence of the Turko-Mongol migrations and conquests in Central Europe during the early Middle Ages. The name also signifies the blending of Hungarian and Turkic cultural elements during this period.
Historical records from the 13th century mention Zoltán as a prominent name among the Hungarian nobility. One of the earliest references to the surname Zolton appears in the Registrum Varadinense, a document from the 14th century, where members of the Zolton family were recorded as landowners in the region of Varad (now Oradea, Romania).
In the 15th century, documents mention a notable figure, László Zolton, who served as a knight under King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary. His contributions to various battles and defense efforts against the Ottoman Empire were well-documented, earning him a prominent status in Hungarian history. László Zolton was born in 1428 and died in 1489.
A 17th-century historical reference includes Mihály Zolton, an influential figure in the Transylvanian principality, closely associated with Prince Gabriel Bethlen. Mihály was known for his diplomatic missions and efforts in consolidating Protestant influence in Transylvania. He was born in 1592 and passed away in 1657.
During the 18th century, the surname Zolton became more widespread, with records indicating the presence of the Zolton family in various Hungarian counties. In 1734, István Zolton, an esteemed lawyer and member of the Hungarian Diet (parliament), was instrumental in drafting legal reforms. His legacy continued through his descendants, who were active in law and politics.
In the early 19th century, the surname gained further prominence through János Zolton, a renowned poet and writer. János was born in 1801 and became one of the leading figures in the Hungarian national movement. His poetry, which often reflected themes of freedom and national identity, played a significant role during the 1848-1849 Hungarian Revolution. He passed away in 1863, leaving a lasting impact on Hungarian literature.
Another famous individual with the surname is Pál Zolton, born in 1865, an accomplished composer whose works were celebrated for their incorporation of traditional Hungarian and modern classical music elements. Pál's contributions to Hungarian music were recognized internationally, and he remained a prominent figure in the cultural scene until his death in 1930.
The surname Zolton, throughout its history, has been associated with various influential figures in Hungary, spanning areas such as military, politics, literature, and the arts. This rich history underscores the cultural and historical significance of the surname in the Hungarian context.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zolton
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zolton 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 Zolton surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 100
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 6
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zolton
Zolton 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,212 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,064 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,212 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 6,064 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 Zolton 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 | #144,141 | #150,205 | -4.2% |
| Count | 115 | 109 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zolton bearers went from 115 to 109 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 6,064 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #150,205.
FAQ
Zolton surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zolton?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Zolton. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Zolton?
Zolton ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Zolton. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Zolton.
Has Zolton become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zolton went from 115 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Zolton?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zolton, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Zolton in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zolton appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Hispanic (5.5%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Zolton (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 Zolton mean?
A Hungarian surname derived from a pet form of the given name Zsolt. 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 Zolton (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 share the surname Zolton?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.