2000
#16,694
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,578
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.58
Rare Last name
Zach
A variant of the Hebrew name Zechariah meaning "God remembers."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,113 Americans carry the last name Zach. That puts it at #15,331 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 162,212 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zach 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
2.1K
1 in 162,212
Census rank
#15,331
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,843 bearers of the surname Zach in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15331st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zach, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zach
The surname Zach has roots primarily in Central Europe and can be traced back to various regions, notably Germany, Austria, and parts of Poland. The name dates back to the medieval period, approximately the 12th and 13th centuries. It is derived from the Old High German word "zocco," which means "twig" or "branch." In essence, the name Zach might have originally been a nickname for someone thought to be slim or slight like a twig.
In medieval documents, variations of the name Zach appear in several forms, such as Zake, Zack, and Sack. For instance, the 13th-century manuscript of the records from the town of Augsburg in Bavaria mentions a person named Heinrich Sack, who could be an early variant of the name Zach.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname in Germany is that of Johann Zach, a notable composer and violinist born in Roth, Bavaria in 1713 and died in 1773. His contributions to music during the 18th century showcased the prominence of the name in cultural history. In Austria, another figure, Matthias Zach, is recorded in Vienna's historical documents around 1545. He was known for his work as a merchant, reflecting the common trades associated with the name during this period.
During the Renaissance, Marin Zach, a member of the lesser nobility in Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic, was notable for his involvement in the local politics of Prague around the late 16th century. His family coat of arms still exists in local archives, pointing to the historical prestige carried by the name in the region.
The name also appears in Poland with Jakub Zach, a known figure in Kraków’s medieval guild records from the 15th century. He was a master blacksmith, and his craftsmanship helped define the high standard of metalwork in the area during that time. His works and apprenticeships are documented in Kraków’s guild records.
Austrian confidence in the name Zach continued into the 19th century with the individual Karl Zach, born in 1820. He was an influent scientist, contributing to the fields of geology and mineralogy in Vienna. His studies and published works in the mid-1800s provided foundational knowledge which still informs geological research and is a testament to the intellectual legacy associated with the surname.
Throughout Central European history, the surname Zach has been attached to individuals who contributed significantly to their trades and communities. It illustrates a rich tapestry of historical significance, showcasing a name that has been associated with a variety of professions from musicians to merchants to scientists across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zach
Among Census respondents with the surname Zach, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zach 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 Zach surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.5% · 1,705
- Two or more races3.0% · 56
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 47
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 17
- Black or African American0.7% · 13
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zach
Zach appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#17,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,554
-24 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.53
Rank movement Down 1,281 places
2020
#15,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,843
+289 bearers (+18.6%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 2,644 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #16,694 | 1,578 | 0.58 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #17,975 | 1,554 | 0.53 | -24 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 1,281 places |
| 2020 | #15,331 | 1,843 | 0.62 | +289 bearers (+18.6%) | Up 2,644 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 Zach 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 | #17,975 | #15,331 | 14.7% |
| Count | 1,554 | 1,843 | 18.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.53 | 0.62 | 16.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zach bearers went from 1,554 to 1,843 (+18.6% change). The surname moved up 2,644 positions in the national ranking, going from #17,975 to #15,331.
FAQ
Zach surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zach?
Name Census estimates that about 2,113 living Americans carry the surname Zach. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 162,212 residents.
How common is Zach?
Zach ranks #15,331 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,843 people with the surname Zach. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,113), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Zach.
Has Zach become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zach went from 1,554 recorded bearers to 1,843. That is an increase of 289 (+18.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #17,975 to #15,331.
What does the Census say about the background of Zach?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zach, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zach in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.5% (1,705 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zach appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.5%), Two or More Races (3.0%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zach (2000, 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 Zach mean?
A variant of the Hebrew name Zechariah meaning "God remembers." 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 Zach (0.62 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 many Americans have the surname Zach?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.