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

Zuba, 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 Zuba surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zuba in America

Zuba is the 44034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zuba surname appeared 489 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 Zuba.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zuba 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.

The history of the last name Zuba

The surname Zuba has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly within present-day Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. The name likely emerged between the 14th and 16th centuries, a period marked by significant cultural and political changes in these regions. The name Zuba is thought to derive from the Slavic root word "zuby," which translates to "teeth" in English. This could indicate a historical association with a characteristic related to teeth, such as a profession like a dentist or a nickname for someone with a notable dental feature.

In Poland, records from the 15th century describe a family by the name of Zuba residing in the Mazovia region. Ancient Polish scripts and documents from the 16th century, particularly in ecclesiastical and municipal records, show various spellings including Zub, Zubi, and Zubo. These variations can be attributed to the fluid nature of surname spelling in historical records, where scribes would often phoneticize names based on local dialects and personal interpretations.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Zuba was Jan Zuba, a landholder in the Lublin region of Poland in the early 17th century. Jan's name appears in several property records and legal documents dated around 1620. These records indicate that the Zuba family had some standing and property in this area of Poland.

In Ukraine, the surname Zuba is found in records dating back to the Cossack Hetmanate in the 17th century. Historical references to a Maksym Zuba, a Cossack soldier from the mid-1600s, highlight the presence of this surname in military contexts. Maksym is noted in the chronicles of the Khmelnytsky Uprising, a significant rebellion against Polish rule in the Ukrainian territories.

The Belarusian presence of the surname can be traced back to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, where official documents from the 15th century mention a Ivan Zuba, a court official serving under Grand Duke Vytautas. The surname Zuba in this context appears to denote a family of some administrative importance. Ivan Zuba’s role and contributions are recorded in the Hrodna city annals, dating back to around 1480.

In modern history, Aleksander Zuba, born in 1878 and died in 1951, was a notable Polish political figure who participated in the early 20th-century independence movements. His involvement in various uprisings and his later political career during the interwar period made him a significant personality in Polish history.

In addition, Maria Zuba, born in 1956, became a prominent Polish art historian and curator. Her scholarly work and contributions to the preservation of Polish cultural heritage have earned her recognition within academic circles. While her presence is more contemporary, it underscores the continued relevance of the surname in Eastern European history.

The surname Zuba, therefore, encapsulates a rich historical tapestry woven across several Eastern European cultures. Its presence in multiple regions, along with the historical roles played by individuals bearing the name, underscores its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zuba

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

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 Zuba was:

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

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

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

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