2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zuzolo
An Italian surname derived from the word "zuzù" meaning sparrow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 111 Americans carry the last name Zuzolo. That puts it at #156,449 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,087,877 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zuzolo 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
111
1 in 3,087,877
Census rank
#156,449
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
97
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 97 bearers of the surname Zuzolo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156449th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuzolo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zuzolo
The surname Zuzolo originates from Italy, specifically from the southern regions such as Calabria and Sicily. The earliest records of this surname date back to the medieval period, around the 13th and 14th centuries. The name is believed to have been derived from the Italian word "zuzzolo," which was a term for a small piece or fragment, possibly referring to a small village or family group.
The regions of Calabria and Sicily were areas where many surnames were rooted in local geographical features or occupations. Zuzolo may have been used to describe families living in small, fragmented communities or perhaps those involved in trades that dealt with small items or fragments.
Historical references to the Zuzolo surname appear in various medieval Italian manuscripts and local records. For instance, a 15th-century land grant in Calabria makes mention of a Giovanni Zuzolo, indicating the family’s presence and status in the area. By the 16th century, other records mention various members of the Zuzolo family in deeds and legal documents, further solidifying the name’s historical footprint.
One of the earliest recorded examples is a local magistrate named Vincenzo Zuzolo, born in 1527 and noted in records from 1572 for his role in local governance in the town of Catanzaro in Calabria. Another notable figure is Maria Zuzolo, born in 1601, who was recognized for her charitable works and contributions to her community in Sicily, as evidenced by several church records from 1638.
In the 18th century, the name appears again with Pietro Zuzolo, who was a known merchant around 1735 in the bustling trade town of Reggio Calabria. His trading ventures expanded the family’s prominence and contributed to their local influence. The town of Zuzolano, which exists today, is believed to have derived its name from an influential branch of the Zuzolo family during this period.
By the 19th century, Antonio Zuzolo emerged as a notable figure. Born in 1812, he gained recognition as a scholar and writer, publishing several works on local history, adding a layer of intellectual legacy to the surname. Another significant person is Giulia Zuzolo, born in 1868, who was involved in the early feminist movements in Italy, advocating for women’s rights and equality until her death in 1923.
Thus, the surname Zuzolo carries a rich history of local significance, professional contributions, and social impact spanning several centuries in southern Italy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zuzolo
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuzolo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zuzolo 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 Zuzolo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zuzolo
Zuzolo 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+4 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,465 places
2020
#156,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 97
-15 bearers (-13.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 9,196 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 5,465 places |
| 2020 | #156,449 | 97 | 0.03 | -15 bearers (-13.4%) | Down 9,196 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 Zuzolo 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 | #147,253 | #156,449 | -6.2% |
| Count | 112 | 97 | -13.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zuzolo bearers went from 112 to 97 (-13.4% change). The surname moved down 9,196 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #156,449.
FAQ
Zuzolo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zuzolo?
Name Census estimates that about 111 living Americans carry the surname Zuzolo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,087,877 residents.
How common is Zuzolo?
Zuzolo ranks #156,449 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 97 people with the surname Zuzolo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (111), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zuzolo.
Has Zuzolo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zuzolo went from 112 recorded bearers to 97. That is a decrease of 15 (-13.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #156,449.
What does the Census say about the background of Zuzolo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuzolo, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Zuzolo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zuzolo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.8%), Hispanic (4.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.0%). 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 Zuzolo (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 Zuzolo mean?
An Italian surname derived from the word "zuzù" meaning sparrow. 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 Zuzolo (0.03 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 common is the surname Zuzolo?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Zuzolo at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.