2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zuchelli
An Italian surname likely derived from a diminutive of the word "zucca" meaning small pumpkin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Zuchelli. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zuchelli 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Zuchelli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuchelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zuchelli
The surname Zucchelli is of Italian origin, emerging from the northern regions of Italy. It is particularly associated with Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. The name first appeared in historical records in these areas during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century.
The name Zucchelli is derived from the Italian word zucca, meaning pumpkin or gourd, with the diminutive suffix -elli, suggesting "little pumpkin" or "little gourd." This could indicate a connection to individuals who cultivated or traded pumpkins, or it might have been a nickname for someone with a round or bald head.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Zucchelli surname can be found in documents from the city of Bergamo in Lombardy. In a 1427 tax record, a Pietro Zucchelli is listed as a landowner, indicating the name's establishment among the local nobility or wealthy commoners of that time.
Another notable occurrence of the surname is in the 16th century with Giovanni Zucchelli, a merchant from Bologna, who was known for his extensive trade connections throughout Italy and into the Mediterranean. His records of merchandise and correspondence have provided valuable insights into commerce during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, the Zucchelli family name became more prominent through the military service of Captain Matteo Zucchelli, born in Parma in 1623 and deceased in 1681. Serving in the Venetian army, he played a significant role in defending the Republic of Venice during conflicts with the Ottoman Empire.
During the Enlightenment era, the name Zucchelli gained further recognition through academic contributions. Francesco Zucchelli, born in 1745 in Milan, was a noted historian whose works on the genealogy and local histories of Lombardy remain references in Italian scholarship.
The 19th century saw the rise of Giuseppe Zucchelli, an influential architect from Turin, born in 1832 and died in 1898. Known for his designs in public spaces and civic buildings throughout northern Italy, his work left a lasting architectural legacy.
Across these centuries, the Zucchelli surname has been associated with various occupations and societal contributions, reflecting the diverse talents and roles played by members of this Italian family.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zuchelli
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuchelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zuchelli 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 Zuchelli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.6% · 109
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zuchelli
Zuchelli 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
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
+9 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,146 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-22 bearers (-16.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,477 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 1,146 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -22 bearers (-16.2%) | Down 20,477 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 Zuchelli 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 | #126,018 | #146,495 | -16.2% |
| Count | 136 | 114 | -16.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -23.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zuchelli bearers went from 136 to 114 (-16.2% change). The surname moved down 20,477 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #146,495.
FAQ
Zuchelli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zuchelli?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Zuchelli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Zuchelli?
Zuchelli ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Zuchelli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Zuchelli.
Has Zuchelli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zuchelli went from 136 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 22 (-16.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,018 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Zuchelli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuchelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Black (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 Zuchelli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.6% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zuchelli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.6%), Hispanic (2.6%), Black (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 Zuchelli (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 Zuchelli mean?
An Italian surname likely derived from a diminutive of the word "zucca" meaning small pumpkin. 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 Zuchelli (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 have the surname Zuchelli?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.