2000
#89,895
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 191
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Zovko
A Croatian surname derived from the word "zov" meaning "call" or "summons".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 224 Americans carry the last name Zovko. That puts it at #99,304 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,530,153 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zovko 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
224
1 in 1,530,153
Census rank
#99,304
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
195
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 195 bearers of the surname Zovko in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 99304th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zovko, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (0.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zovko
The surname Zovko has its origins in the Slavic regions of Europe, primarily Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The name can be traced back to at least the medieval period, with early mentions appearing in church registers and land records. The etymology of the name is linked to the old Slavic word "zov," which means "call" or "summon." This suggests that the name might have originally been a nickname or occupational surname for someone who served as a herald or messenger.
One of the earliest historical references to the surname Zovko appears in a 15th-century transcript detailing land ownership in the region of Dalmatia, a coastal area associated with the Venetian Republic at the time. This document mentions a Marco Zovko who held a modest estate near the town of Trogir. This suggests the name was already established in the region by that period.
In the early 16th century, Ivan Zovko, born in 1502, became a noted figure in Dubrovnik (Ragusa), a significant maritime republic and cultural hub. Ivan was a merchant and contributed to various charitable causes, indicating that the Zovko family was becoming more prominent and affluent during that time.
The surname appears again in 1654 in church records from Bosnia, mentioning a Jarko Zovko, who served as a local clergy member. This demonstrates the spread of the name beyond Croatia, suggesting migration or expanded familial ties. Jarko Zovko was known for his written sermons, a few of which are preserved in the archives of a monastery near Sarajevo.
Another notable Zovko was Milica Zovko, born in 1798 in Split, Croatia. She became one of the early female educators in the region and was instrumental in setting up the first local school for girls in 1823. Her efforts in promoting education earned her recognition, and parts of her correspondence with Croatian authorities have been preserved.
The 19th century also saw the emergence of Josip Zovko, born in 1831 in Mostar. A scholar and linguist, Josip made significant contributions to the study of the Bosnian dialects, with several of his works published in the periodicals of the time. His analyses and collections of folk tales were influential in preserving the local culture and linguistic heritage.
By the early 20th century, the surname Zovko can be identified with Petar Zovko, born in 1886, a politician and member of the Croatian Parliament. He was involved in significant legislative reforms during the interwar period and played a role in the development of infrastructure in his home region.
Throughout history, the surname Zovko has been associated with various prominent individuals who contributed to the cultural, religious, and political life of their regions. This shows a rich tapestry of family history stretching back centuries, grounded in the heart of South Slavic lands.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zovko
Among Census respondents with the surname Zovko, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (0.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zovko 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 Zovko surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.4% · 186
- Hispanic or Latino3.6% · 7
- Black or African American0.5% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zovko
Zovko 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
#97,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 187
-4 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.06
Rank movement Down 7,315 places
2020
#99,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 195
+8 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.07
Rank movement Down 2,094 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #89,895 | 191 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #97,210 | 187 | 0.06 | -4 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 7,315 places |
| 2020 | #99,304 | 195 | 0.07 | +8 bearers (+4.3%) | Down 2,094 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 Zovko 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 | #97,210 | #99,304 | -2.2% |
| Count | 187 | 195 | 4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.06 | 0.07 | 8.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zovko bearers went from 187 to 195 (+4.3% change). The surname moved down 2,094 positions in the national ranking, going from #97,210 to #99,304.
FAQ
Zovko surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zovko?
Name Census estimates that about 224 living Americans carry the surname Zovko. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,530,153 residents.
How common is Zovko?
Zovko ranks #99,304 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.07 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 195 people with the surname Zovko. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (224), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.07 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 Zovko.
Has Zovko become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zovko went from 187 recorded bearers to 195. That is an increase of 8 (+4.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #97,210 to #99,304.
What does the Census say about the background of Zovko?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zovko, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.6%) and Black (0.5%). 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 Zovko in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.4% (186 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zovko appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.4%), Hispanic (3.6%), Black (0.5%). 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 Zovko (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 Zovko mean?
A Croatian surname derived from the word "zov" meaning "call" or "summons". 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 Zovko (0.07 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 are called Zovko?
You can see how common the surname Zovko is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.