2000
#14,404
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,904
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.71
Rare Last name
Zubia
A Basque surname derived from the word "zubi," meaning "bridge," likely referring to someone who lived near a bridge.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,650 Americans carry the last name Zubia. That puts it at #12,754 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 129,341 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zubia 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
2.6K
1 in 129,341
Census rank
#12,754
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,311 bearers of the surname Zubia in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12754th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zubia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zubia
The surname Zubia is of Spanish origin, with roots tracing back to the Basque region of northern Spain and southwestern France during the Middle Ages. The name is believed to derive from the Basque word "zubia," meaning "bridge," potentially referring to a place name or occupation associated with bridge construction or maintenance.
One of the earliest recorded references to the Zubia surname can be found in the Becerro Galicano, a medieval Spanish census from the late 14th century. This document lists several individuals with the surname Zubia residing in the regions of Álava and Guipúzcoa, which were part of the Basque Country at the time.
In the 16th century, the Zubia family was prominent in the town of Hondarribia (formerly known as Fuenterrabía) in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country. Juan de Zubia y Arteaga (1530-1592), a notable military figure, served as the governor of Fuenterrabía during the Spanish-French wars and played a crucial role in defending the town against French forces.
Another historical figure bearing the Zubia surname was Pedro de Zubia (1555-1621), a Spanish Renaissance architect and sculptor. He is best known for his work on the Basilica of San Lorenzo in El Escorial, a renowned architectural masterpiece commissioned by King Philip II of Spain.
In the 17th century, the Zubia name appeared in various Spanish colonial records from the Americas. One notable individual was Jerónimo de Zubia (1634-1708), a Spanish military officer who served as the governor of the Captaincy General of Venezuela between 1687 and 1693.
Moving into the 19th century, Valentín de Zubia (1789-1861) was a Spanish military officer and politician who fought in the Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces. He later served as the Minister of War under the reign of Queen Isabella II.
Throughout its history, the Zubia surname has maintained a strong presence in the Basque Country and other regions of Spain, with variations in spelling such as Zubiaurre, Zubieta, and Zubillaga. While not as widespread globally as some other Spanish surnames, the name Zubia continues to carry the legacy of its Basque origins and the historical significance associated with its meaning.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zubia
Among Census respondents with the surname Zubia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zubia 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 Zubia surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino92.9% · 2,146
- White5.9% · 137
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 6
- Black or African American0.1% · 3
- Two or more races0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zubia
Zubia 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
#13,101
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,340
+436 bearers (+22.9%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Up 1,303 places
2020
#12,754
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,311
-29 bearers (-1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Up 347 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,404 | 1,904 | 0.71 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,101 | 2,340 | 0.79 | +436 bearers (+22.9%) | Up 1,303 places |
| 2020 | #12,754 | 2,311 | 0.77 | -29 bearers (-1.2%) | Up 347 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 Zubia 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 | #13,101 | #12,754 | 2.6% |
| Count | 2,340 | 2,311 | -1.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.79 | 0.77 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zubia bearers went from 2,340 to 2,311 (-1.2% change). The surname moved up 347 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,101 to #12,754.
FAQ
Zubia surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zubia?
Name Census estimates that about 2,650 living Americans carry the surname Zubia. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 129,341 residents.
How common is Zubia?
Zubia ranks #12,754 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,311 people with the surname Zubia. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,650), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.77 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Zubia.
Has Zubia become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zubia went from 2,340 recorded bearers to 2,311. That is a decrease of 29 (-1.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,101 to #12,754.
What does the Census say about the background of Zubia?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zubia, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 92.9%. The next largest groups are White (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zubia in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (2,146 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zubia appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (92.9%), White (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.7%). 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 Zubia (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 Zubia mean?
A Basque surname derived from the word "zubi," meaning "bridge," likely referring to someone who lived near a bridge. 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 Zubia (0.77 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 last name Zubia?
Find out how many people are called Zubia on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.