Explore the Family Name Zelko
The meaning of Zelko
1. Americanized form of Croatian Zeljko: nickname derived from the root of zelen ‘green’, probably applied to someone who had green eyes. 2. Slovenian and Slovak: nickname derived from the root of zelje (Slovenian), zelí (Slovak dialect) ‘cabbage’. 3. Americanized form of Slovenian and Croatian Željko: from the personal name Željko, a hypocoristic derivative of želja ‘desire, wish’ or a variant of Želko (see 4 below). 4. Slovenian (Želko): from the personal name Želko, a pet form of Slavic compound names, such as Želimir, based on Old Slavic želěti (Slovenian želeti) ‘to desire, to wish’.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zelko in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Zelko saw a decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Zelko held the rank of 51,233rd most popular surname, but by 2010 it dropped to 54,752nd, marking a decline of 6.87%. The total count of individuals with this surname also slightly decreased from 382 in 2000 to 376 in 2010, a reduction of 1.57%. Similarly, the proportion of people named Zelko per 100,000 population fell by 7.14% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #51,233 | #54,752 | -6.87% |
| Count | 382 | 376 | -1.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.14 | 0.13 | -7.14% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zelko
The ethnic identity associated with the Zelko surname, as revealed by the Decennial U.S. Census data, is predominantly White, with the proportion increasing slightly from 95.81% in 2000 to 96.28% in 2010. The Hispanic representation also rose by 41.98%, from 1.31% to 1.86%. However, there was a decrease in Zelkos identifying with two or more races, as it fell from 2.62% in 2000 to none reported in 2010. Meanwhile, there were no recorded changes for Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, and American Indian and Alaskan Native groups within this surname during the given decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.81% | 96.28% | 0.49% |
| Hispanic | 1.31% | 1.86% | 41.98% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 2.62% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |