Explore the Family Name Zara
The meaning of Zara
1. Italian: habitational name from the Italian name for the city of Zadar on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. 2. Italian: in Sicily, possibly from a variant of za(g)ara ‘orange flower’, or, in Venezia, of Zadra. 3. Spanish: from the female personal name Zara (see Sara). 4. Possibly also Basque: topographic name from zara ‘thicket’. This surname is not found in the Basque Country. Some characteristic forenames: Italian Rocco, Carlo, Federico, Sabastian. Spanish Digna, Erlinda, Graciela, Lucila, Maria Elena, Pedro, Vincente.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zara in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Zara saw a slight decrease in rank between 2000 and 2010, slipping from 31,621 to 31,824. Despite this drop in rank, the count of individuals with the surname Zara actually increased by 4.92%, from 691 people in 2000 to 725 in 2010. The proportion per 100,000 also experienced a minor dip of 3.85%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #31,621 | #31,824 | -0.64% |
| Count | 691 | 725 | 4.92% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.26 | 0.25 | -3.85% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zara
The ethnicity breakdown of the surname Zara also underwent changes over the same decade, as reported by the Decennial U.S. Census. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander saw an increase of 42.93%, shifting from 15.63% in 2000 to 22.34% in 2010. However, the representation of those reporting as two or more races declined by 54.14%. The white demographic decreased slightly as well, dropping by 5.28%. Those identifying as Hispanic decreased by 11.45%. There was no change in the representation of the Black demographic or American Indian and Alaskan Native community, with both remaining at 0%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.04% | 66.34% | -5.28% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 15.63% | 22.34% | 42.93% |
| Hispanic | 10.13% | 8.97% | -11.45% |
| Two or More Races | 3.62% | 1.66% | -54.14% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |