Zavala History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Spain

Early Origins of the Zavala family

The surname Zavala was first found in Silesia. The surname is a toponym for someone who came from Zawada or Zawady. Both are derived from the "zawada" which means "obstruction", "fortress", "obstacle" or "impediment" as in the toponyms Zawada and Zawady. Today, there are numerous places named Zawada and Zawady throughout modern-day Poland.

Early History of the Zavala family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Zavala research. Another 23 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Zavala History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Zavala Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Zawadsky, Zawadski, Zavadsky, Zawadzki, Zawada, Zawadowski, Zawadowsky, Sawadsky, Sawatsky, Sawatski, Sawatzky, Sawatzki, Zawatsky, Zawatzki and many more.

Zavala Ranking

In the United States, the name Zavala is the 1,565^th most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1

Zavala migration to the United States +

Zavala Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Lorenzo Zavala, aged 42, Mexican settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Francois" in 1831 2
Lorenzo De, Zavala Jr., who arrived in Texas in 1835 3
Manuel A Zavala, who landed in Puerto Rico in 1852 3
J. M. Zavala, aged 40, Spanish settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Bark Claupe" in 1855 2
Prudencio Feriono Zavala, aged 22, Mexican settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Bark Cuba" in 1856 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Zavala Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Andela Zavala, aged 10, who landed in America from Wichalkovia, Silesia, in 1906
Adela Zavala, aged 35, who settled in America from Lugano, Switerland, in 1910
Antonio Zavala, aged 36, who immigrated to the United States, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Zavala (post 1700) +

Hernán Lara Zavala (1946-2025), Mexican novelist and literary critic
Carlos Zavala (b. 1969), former Mexican-American footballer
Aaron Zavala (b. 2000), American baseball outfielder and third baseman
África Zavala (b. 1985), Mexican actress
Alejandra Zavala (b. 1984), Mexican sport shooter at the 2012 Summer Olympics,
Alfredo de Zavala y Lafora (1893-1995), Spanish lawyer, Governor of the Bank of Spain, Minister of Finance
America Vera Zavala (b. 1976), Swedish politician and political writer
Ana Rubio Zavala (b. 1993), Spanish Paralympic swimmer
Andrés Allamand Zavala (b. 1956), Chilean politician, Minister of Foreign Affairs (2020-2022), Minister of National Defense (2011-2012)
... (Another 55 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 21st October 2021. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)