How common is the surname Zia?

1,495 people in the United States had the surname Zia in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 206,519 Americans. It ranked 18,486th of 162,253 surnames.

Who is the most famous person named Zia?

Helen Zia, American journalist.

Where is the surname Zia most common?

Wikidata records people named Zia in the United States.

Is the surname Zia getting more or less common?

More common. 924 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 1,495 in 2010, up 62%.

Is Zia also a first name?

Yes. Zia is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.

The surname Zia

An Arabic surname, carried by 1,495 people in the United States.

Pronounced /ˈzi.ə/ 2 syllables Soundex Z000 Also a first name

Every surname held by 100 or more people in the 2010 US Census, most common on the left (162,253 in all). Zia is more common than 88.6% of them.

Origin

Arabic origin

Borrowed from Arabic ضِيَاء (ḍiyāʔ, “light”) via Spanish.

One of 179 Arabic surnames on this site.

Origin from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

How common it is

2010 US Census

There were 1,495 people named Zia in the United States in 2010, about 1 in every 206,519 Americans. That is up 62% since 2000, when the Census counted 924.

#18,486

rank among US surnames

1,495

people in 2010

0.5

per 100,000 Americans

+61.8%

change since 2000 (was #25,169)

Rank	Surname	People	1 in
#18,478	Melnyk	1,496	206,381
#18,486	Newhall	1,495	206,519

Who is named Zia

Race and Hispanic origin as people reported it in the 2010 Census

68% of people named Zia identified as Asian and Pacific Islander, 23% as white (not Hispanic) and 6.3% as two or more races.

Asian and Pacific Islander 68%
White (not Hispanic) 23%
Two or more races 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.3%

The Census suppresses very small shares to protect privacy; Black, Native American are not shown.

Compare: most common surnames among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans.

Famous Zias

1 notable person on Wikidata, most written-about first

Helen Zia
American journalist, born 1952

Other Arabic surnames

All 179 Arabic surnames

Questions

Where does the surname Zia come from?: Borrowed from Arabic ضِيَاء (ḍiyāʔ, “light”) via Spanish.
How common is the surname Zia?: 1,495 people in the United States had the surname Zia in the 2010 Census, about 1 in every 206,519 Americans. It ranked 18,486th of 162,253 surnames.
What ethnicity is the surname Zia?: In the 2010 Census, 68% of people named Zia identified as Asian and Pacific Islander, and 23% as white (not Hispanic).
Who is the most famous person named Zia?: Helen Zia, American journalist.
Where is the surname Zia most common?: Wikidata records people named Zia in the United States.
How do you pronounce Zia?: Zia is /ˈzi.ə/, 2 syllables.
Is the surname Zia getting more or less common?: More common. 924 people carried it in the 2000 Census and 1,495 in 2010, up 62%.
Is Zia also a first name?: Yes. Zia is used as a first name as well as a surname; its first-name page has the meaning and how many babies were given it.