NameCensus.

UK surname

Zapata

A Spanish surname referring to a person who made or sold shoes or lived near a shoe shop.

The strongest historical links point to No data. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and Torbay.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Zapata is 115 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has changed.

1881 census count

-

Modern count

115

2016, ranked #28,348

Peak year

2016

115 bearers

Map years

1

2016 to 2016

Key insights

  • The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016, ranked #28,348.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 9 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Young Families.

Zapata surname distribution map

The map shows where the Zapata surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Zapata surname density by area, 2016 modern.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Zapata over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1891 historical 9 #33,451
1901 historical 3 #34,063
1997 modern 42 #33,459
1998 modern 42 #33,651
1999 modern 40 #33,967
2000 modern 47 #33,358
2001 modern 43 #33,576
2002 modern 43 #33,871
2003 modern 53 #33,076
2004 modern 58 #32,880
2005 modern 60 #32,917
2006 modern 76 #31,633
2007 modern 82 #31,295
2008 modern 76 #32,279
2009 modern 83 #31,950
2010 modern 86 #32,081
2011 modern 96 #30,721
2012 modern 103 #29,733
2013 modern 111 #28,856
2014 modern 113 #28,779
2015 modern 114 #28,478
2016 modern 115 #28,348

Geography

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Where Zapatas are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around No data. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Tower Hamlets, Torbay and Oxford. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 No data No data

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 015 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Kensington and Chelsea 018 Kensington and Chelsea
3 Tower Hamlets 014 Tower Hamlets
4 Torbay 008 Torbay
5 Oxford 009 Oxford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Zapata

These lists show first names that appear often with the Zapata surname in historical and recent records.

Historical female names

No Forenames Found

Historical male names

No Forenames Found

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Zapata

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Zapata, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Ethnically Diverse Young Families

Nationally, the Zapata surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Young Families, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Zapata household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many younger parents born overseas (particularly in Africa or EU countries) with children aged 0-4. Individuals identifying as of Mixed or Multiple ethnicities are also common. English may not be the primary language spoken. Accommodation consists principally of flats, and many properties are socially rented and/or overcrowded. Students are also present, unemployment is common, and other adults tend to work in low skilled jobs.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Zapata is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Zapata is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Zapata falls in decile 2 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

2
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Zapata is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Zapata, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Zapata

The surname Zapata originates from Spain, specifically from the Basque region, and dates back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Basque word "zapata," which means "a small shoe" or "a wooden clog."

The earliest recorded use of the surname Zapata can be found in medieval Spanish documents and records from the 13th and 14th centuries. These early mentions often refer to individuals from the Basque region and nearby areas of northern Spain.

One of the earliest and most notable individuals with the surname Zapata was Ruy López de Zapata, a Spanish nobleman and military commander who lived in the 15th century (c. 1440-1500). He served as a captain in the army of Ferdinand II of Aragon and played a significant role in the conquest of Granada.

Another prominent figure with the Zapata surname was Emiliano Zapata (1879-1919), a Mexican revolutionary leader who fought for land reform and peasant rights during the Mexican Revolution. He is a revered figure in Mexican history and is often referred to as the "Caudillo del Sur" (Leader of the South).

In the 16th century, the Zapata name appeared in several Spanish colonial records from the Americas, suggesting that individuals with this surname had migrated to the New World during the era of Spanish exploration and colonization.

Juan Zapata y Sandoval (1570-1630), a Spanish Roman Catholic prelate, was appointed Bishop of Guatemala in 1619. He played a significant role in the religious and cultural development of colonial Guatemala.

Mariano Zapata (1794-1863) was a Mexican politician and military officer who served as the Governor of the State of Mexico from 1845 to 1851. He was a prominent figure during the Mexican-American War and the Reform War.

Antonio Zapata y Mendoza (1550-1635) was a Spanish poet and author who is best known for his work "Miscelánea de Poesías" (Miscellany of Poems), published in 1612. He was a member of the literary circle known as the "Spanish Golden Age."

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Zapata surname: questions and answers

How common is the Zapata surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 115 in 2016. That gives Zapata a modern rank of #28,348.

What does the Zapata surname mean?

A Spanish surname referring to a person who made or sold shoes or lived near a shoe shop.

What does the Zapata map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Zapata bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.