2010
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Vanderzyl
A Dutch surname literally meaning "from the ditch or canal".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Vanderzyl. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Vanderzyl surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Vanderzyl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanderzyl, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Vanderzyl
The surname VANDERZYL is of Dutch origin, derived from a combination of the Dutch words "van der" meaning "from the" and "zyl" meaning "ditch" or "canal". It likely originated in the Netherlands during the Medieval period when surnames were becoming more common.
One of the earliest recorded instances of this surname can be found in a 16th-century Dutch census record from the city of Amsterdam, where a family with the name VANDERZYL is listed as residing near a canal. This suggests that the name may have originated as a descriptive term for someone living near a ditch or canal, which were common features of the Dutch landscape.
In the 17th century, the VANDERZYL name appears in several records related to the Dutch East India Company, indicating that some individuals with this surname were involved in the overseas trading and exploration activities of this influential organization.
During the Dutch Golden Age, a notable figure named Pieter VANDERZYL (1592-1648) gained recognition as a skilled painter and engraver. His works, which often depicted scenes from everyday Dutch life, are now held in collections at museums such as the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.
Another prominent individual with the VANDERZYL surname was Jacob VANDERZYL (1712-1778), a Dutch merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Rotterdam through his charitable endeavors and support for education and cultural institutions.
In the 19th century, the VANDERZYL name can be found in records related to the Dutch diaspora, with some individuals bearing this surname migrating to other parts of the world, including the United States and South Africa.
One notable American with this surname was William VANDERZYL (1832-1904), a Civil War veteran who served in the Union Army and later became a successful businessman and civic leader in his community.
In South Africa, the VANDERZYL name is associated with the Afrikaner community and can be traced back to Dutch settlers who arrived in the Cape Colony in the 17th and 18th centuries. One prominent figure was Jan VANDERZYL (1856-1932), a politician and lawyer who played a significant role in the establishment of the Union of South Africa.
Throughout history, the VANDERZYL surname has maintained its Dutch roots and connections to the Netherlands, while also spreading to various parts of the world through migration and exploration. Its origins as a descriptive term related to the Dutch landscape and waterways have contributed to its enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Vanderzyl
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanderzyl, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Vanderzyl bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Vanderzyl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.0% · 102
- Hispanic or Latino8.3% · 10
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Vanderzyl
Vanderzyl appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,821 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 2,821 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Vanderzyl surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #139,228 | #142,049 | -2.0% |
| Count | 120 | 120 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Vanderzyl bearers went from 120 to 120 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 2,821 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #142,049.
FAQ
Vanderzyl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Vanderzyl?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Vanderzyl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Vanderzyl?
Vanderzyl ranks #142,049 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 120 people with the surname Vanderzyl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Vanderzyl.
Has Vanderzyl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Vanderzyl went from 120 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Vanderzyl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Vanderzyl, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.3%) and Two or More Races (5.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Vanderzyl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Vanderzyl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.0%), Hispanic (8.3%), Two or More Races (5.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Vanderzyl (2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Vanderzyl mean?
A Dutch surname literally meaning "from the ditch or canal". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Vanderzyl (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Vanderzyl?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Vanderzyl on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.