2000
#21,004
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,166
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
Zappa
An Italian surname possibly referring to someone who gathered edible plant roots.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,284 Americans carry the last name Zappa. That puts it at #23,402 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.37 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 266,943 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zappa 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
1.3K
1 in 266,943
Census rank
#23,402
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,120 bearers of the surname Zappa in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.37 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 23402nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zappa, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zappa
The surname Zappa finds its origins in Italy, specifically from the northern regions such as Lombardy and Veneto. The name dates back to medieval times, likely emerging during the Middle Ages between the 11th and 13th centuries. Zappa is derived from the Italian word "zappa," meaning hoe, an agricultural tool. This suggests that it may have originally been an occupational surname, indicating someone who worked as a farmer or dealt with agricultural activities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Notarial Archives of Lombardy from the 13th century. In these documents, variations of the name such as Zappo and Zappe are also noted, indicating how the spelling of surnames evolved over time. These variations highlight the regional dialectal differences that influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the name.
A notable historical figure with the surname Zappa was Francesco Zappa, born in 1717 and died in 1803. He was an Italian-born cellist and composer who lived during the Baroque period and had a significant influence on music in his time. His works are still studied for their intricate compositions and use of the cello.
Another historical reference is Giacomo Zappa, a Venetian merchant in the late 15th century whose trading activities are documented in maritime records. His ventures were mainly in the Mediterranean region, and he played a role in the expansion of Venetian trade.
In the world of arts, another prominent Zappa is Giuseppe Zappa, born in 1822 and died in 1899. He was a well-known painter from Lombardy who contributed to the Renaissance art movement with his exquisite use of color and form, leaving a lasting legacy in Italian art history.
In the realm of academics, Mario Zappa, born in 1860 and died in 1935, was a renowned historian and philologist. His works on medieval Italian texts are still cited by scholars today for their depth and analysis of medieval culture and language.
The surname gained international recognition in the 20th century through Frank Zappa, an American musician born in 1940 and died in 1993. Frank Zappa is esteemed for his avant-garde music and satirical lyrics, contributing extensively to rock, jazz, and orchestral music. His works remain influential, showcasing the breadth of his creativity and resistance to conventional norms.
The surname Zappa thus encompasses a blend of agricultural roots and significant contributions in various fields such as music, art, commerce, and academia throughout history. Its origins in Italy and subsequent global recognition illustrate a rich legacy carried forth by individuals who impacted their respective domains profoundly.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zappa
Among Census respondents with the surname Zappa, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zappa 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 Zappa surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 1,043
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 37
- Two or more races1.9% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 12
- Black or African American0.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zappa
Zappa 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
#23,185
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,100
-66 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Down 2,181 places
2020
#23,402
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,120
+20 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.37
Rank movement Down 217 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,004 | 1,166 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #23,185 | 1,100 | 0.37 | -66 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 2,181 places |
| 2020 | #23,402 | 1,120 | 0.37 | +20 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 217 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 Zappa 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 | #23,185 | #23,402 | -0.9% |
| Count | 1,100 | 1,120 | 1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.37 | 0.37 | 1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zappa bearers went from 1,100 to 1,120 (+1.8% change). The surname moved down 217 positions in the national ranking, going from #23,185 to #23,402.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zappa
FAQ
Zappa surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zappa?
Name Census estimates that about 1,284 living Americans carry the surname Zappa. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 266,943 residents.
How common is Zappa?
Zappa ranks #23,402 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.37 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 1,120 people with the surname Zappa. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,284), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.37 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.37 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 Zappa.
Has Zappa become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zappa went from 1,100 recorded bearers to 1,120. That is an increase of 20 (+1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #23,185 to #23,402.
What does the Census say about the background of Zappa?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zappa, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Zappa in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (1,043 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zappa appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Zappa (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 Zappa mean?
An Italian surname possibly referring to someone who gathered edible plant roots. 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 Zappa (0.37 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 Zappa?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.