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Zanni Family History

Zanni Surname Meaning

Italian: from the personal name Z(u)an(n)i a northeastern (Venetian) form of Gianni (short form of Giovanni an equivalent of John).

Zanni or Zani is a comic figure in the Commedia dell'Arte and the surname may also be a nickname derived from this use which is also the origin of the English word zany.

This surname is also found in southern France and Corsica.

Greek: feminine (and possibly also American shortened) form of Zannis a cognate of 1 above.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Zanni family from?

You can see how Zanni families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zanni family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1891 and 1920. The most Zanni families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 11 Zanni families living in London. This was about 69% of all the recorded Zanni's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Zanni families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zanni surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Zanni ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Clerk were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zanni. 39% of Zanni men worked as a Laborer and 29% of Zanni women worked as a Clerk. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zanni were New Worker and Doffer.

View Census Data for Zanni | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    39%
  • Farmer
    12%
  • Truck Driver
    10%
  • New Worker
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Clerk
    29%
  • New Worker
    15%
  • Housework
    15%
  • Doffer
    15%

What Zanni family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Zanni. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zanni census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Zanni

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Zanni. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Zanni immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 402 military records available for the last name Zanni. For the veterans among your Zanni ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Zanni military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zanni family history

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What is the average Zanni lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2004, in the United States, Zanni life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1955, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Zanni in 1954 was 57, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zanni

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Zanni ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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