2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zsiga
A Hungarian surname derived from the Hungarian form of the Greek name Zosimas.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Zsiga. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zsiga 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Zsiga in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zsiga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zsiga
The surname Zsiga has its origins in Hungary, a central European country with a rich history of diverse cultures and languages. It is likely that the name dates back to the medieval period when surnames began to be more systematically used. The surname Zsiga is derived from an abbreviation or pet form of the given name Zsigmond, which itself is the Hungarian version of the Germanic name Sigismund. Sigismund is composed of the elements "sigi," meaning victory, and "mund," meaning protection or protector.
The earliest references to names similar to Zsiga can be traced back to the early medieval period, when various records such as church logs, property transactions, and local administrative documents first began systematically documenting surnames. It appears in old Hungarian records and manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries, often in smaller rural communities and towns. For example, a record from 1321 mentions a certain "Zsigmondus," which is believed to be an early form of someone bearing the surname Zsiga.
Historical references to individuals with the surname Zsiga appear in documents concerning land ownership and clerical records. One such notable figure is István Zsiga, born in 1432, who served as a local nobleman and landowner in the region of Transdanubia, contributing to the socio-economic development of the area. Another significant person is Lajos Zsiga, who made a name for himself as a merchant in the early 16th century, around 1510, expanding trade between Hungary and its neighboring regions.
By the 17th century, the surname Zsiga began appearing more frequently in diverse parts of Hungary, suggesting its bearers had migrated or otherwise expanded their influence. In 1654, Péter Zsiga was documented as a member of the local council in Debrecen, a major cultural hub in Hungary at the time. His contributions were noted for helping to establish educational infrastructure in the region.
Another historical figure of importance is Mária Zsiga, born in 1767, who became known for her literary contributions and was one of the early female writers in Hungary. Her works were influential in the early Hungarian Enlightenment, reflecting progressive views that were emerging in the late 18th century. Her writings were collected posthumously in 1805, gaining her lasting recognition.
By the 19th century, the surname was also found among military records, such as János Zsiga, who was a noted officer in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. János, born in 1820, fought for Hungarian independence from the Austrian Empire and was recognized for his bravery and leadership until his death in battle in 1849.
These historical connections illustrate the longstanding presence and contributions of individuals bearing the surname Zsiga throughout Hungarian history. The name has seen various facets of social, economic, and cultural development in the country while retaining its unique linguistic roots, emphasizing the integral role of surnames in tracing lineage and heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zsiga
Among Census respondents with the surname Zsiga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zsiga 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 Zsiga surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 111
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.3% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zsiga
Zsiga 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,950 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+16 bearers (+15.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,244 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,950 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.1%) | Up 13,244 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 Zsiga 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 | #153,769 | #140,525 | 8.6% |
| Count | 106 | 122 | 15.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zsiga bearers went from 106 to 122 (+15.1% change). The surname moved up 13,244 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #140,525.
FAQ
Zsiga surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zsiga?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Zsiga. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Zsiga?
Zsiga ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Zsiga. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Zsiga.
Has Zsiga become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zsiga went from 106 recorded bearers to 122. That is an increase of 16 (+15.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Zsiga?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zsiga, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (3.3%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Zsiga in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zsiga appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (3.3%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Zsiga (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 Zsiga mean?
A Hungarian surname derived from the Hungarian form of the Greek name Zosimas. 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 Zsiga (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 Americans have the surname Zsiga?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.