2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zulla
A surname potentially derived from the Hebrew word "tzadik" meaning righteous or virtuous.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Zulla. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zulla 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Zulla in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zulla, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zulla
The surname Zulla has its origins in Italy, dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the northern regions, particularly around modern-day Lombardy and Veneto. The etymology of Zulla is somewhat uncertain, but it may be derived from a diminutive or affectionate form of a personal name such as Julio or Giulia. Alternatively, it could have roots in various local dialects, reflecting either a geographic feature or a characteristic of the bearers.
Historical references to the surname Zulla are scarce, but there are a few notable mentions in early records. The name appears in some 13th-century land records in the Lombardy region, indicating the family's involvement in agriculture and land ownership. One of the earliest recorded uses of the name is found in a manuscript from 1293. The document, preserved in the Archives of Milan, references a "Giacomo di Zulla" as a landholder and trader.
As time progressed, the surname spread to other parts of Italy, with variations in spelling such as Zullo and Zulli. One of the well-documented individuals with the name is Giovanni Zulla, a merchant from Venice born in 1420 and active in Mediterranean trade. Giovanni Zulla played a significant role in the economic life of Venice, and his correspondences provide valuable insights into the commerce of the time.
Another notable figure is Donato Zulla, a cleric born in 1575 in Verona. Donato Zulla was known for his theological writings and his role in the Counter-Reformation. He remained influential within ecclesiastical circles until his death in 1634. His collected works are still studied by scholars of religious history.
In the mid-17th century, the Zulla name appears in records of the Italian nobility. One prominent family member, Laura Zulla, born in 1623, married into the influential Visconti family of Milan. Her marriage brought the Zulla family additional prestige and connections, cementing their status among the northern Italian elite.
In the 18th century, Pietro Zulla, born in 1690, emerged as a distinguished architect. Working primarily in Venice, Pietro Zulla was involved in the design and construction of several notable buildings, contributing to the city's baroque architectural heritage. His work left a lasting mark on the aesthetic and functional evolution of Venetian buildings.
The last notable historical figure with this surname is Maria Zulla, an accomplished soprano born in 1805 in Naples. Renowned for her powerful voice and dramatic presence, Maria Zulla performed in some of Europe's major opera houses, including La Scala and the Royal Opera House. Her career spanned several decades, and she retired in 1850 after a successful tenure that cemented her reputation in the world of classical music.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zulla
Among Census respondents with the surname Zulla, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zulla 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 Zulla surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 103
- Black or African American3.5% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zulla
Zulla 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
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-16 bearers (-12.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,346 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+5 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,311 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.9%) | Down 24,346 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.6%) | Up 4,311 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 Zulla 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 | #151,532 | #147,221 | 2.8% |
| Count | 108 | 113 | 4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zulla bearers went from 108 to 113 (+4.6% change). The surname moved up 4,311 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #147,221.
FAQ
Zulla surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zulla?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Zulla. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Zulla?
Zulla ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Zulla. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Zulla.
Has Zulla become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zulla went from 108 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 5 (+4.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #151,532 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Zulla?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zulla, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Black (3.5%) and Hispanic (2.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zulla in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (103 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zulla appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Black (3.5%), Hispanic (2.7%). 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 Zulla (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 Zulla mean?
A surname potentially derived from the Hebrew word "tzadik" meaning righteous or virtuous. 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 Zulla (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 Zulla?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.