Zendaya: Exploring the Origin of Her Last Name

Introduction

Zendaya is a household name, known both in the music and entertainment industry and beyond. The starlet is most well known for her role as Rue in the hit HBO show Euphoria and her role as Michelle in Spiderman: Homecoming, as well as her music career. But what many people might not know is that she has an interesting last name: Coleman. Where did the name originate? Let’s take a look.

History of the Last Name

Zendaya’s last name has deep and interesting roots. The name began as a patronymic surname, meaning it was taken from a person’s father’s name. In this case, it originated from the last name “Couillard.” The Couillards were a prominent aristocratic family in France in the Middle Ages and their surname sounds similar to “Coleman.” Over time, the Couillards anglicized their name to become the Coleman surname.

How Zendaya Got the Name

Zendaya’s father, Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, was born in Oakland, California and is of African American and German descent. Zendaya’s mother, Claire Stoermer Coleman, is of European American and German descent. Both of her parents acknowledged the historic roots of the Coleman surname and instilled in their daughter an appreciation for the tradition and history behind it.

Living with the Name

Now that she is a starlet herself, Zendaya has embraced her last name and all its historical significance. She frequently uses her last name as a part of her stage name, Zendaya Coleman. Although she does not have direct ties to the original Couillards personally, she is still proud of her last name and all that it symbolizes.

Conclusion

With the name Coleman, Zendaya carries the legacy of an important historical family living through each of her accomplishments. It is clear that she takes great pride in her last name, proudly including it as a part of her stage name and celebrating its roots and history.