Find out how popular the last name Zahl is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Zahl.

Zahl, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Zahl surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zahl in America

Zahl is the 73911th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zahl surname appeared 262 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Zahl.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zahl to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Zahl

The surname Zahl has its origins in the German-speaking world. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, roughly around the 13th to 14th centuries. The name is particularly associated with the regions of Southern Germany and Austria. In terms of etymology, Zahl is derived from the Middle High German word "zahl" which means "number" or "count". This could suggest the name was originally occupational, associated with someone who worked as a counter or a tax collector, roles that involved numerical counting.

Early records of the surname Zahl can be traced to the administrative documents of the Holy Roman Empire. One of the first mentions is in a Bavarian tax document from the late 14th century. The name also appears in the records of the Free City of Augsburg, a significant center for trading and finance during the medieval period. While specific references to specific individuals are sparse during this time, the presence of the name in official documents suggests it was borne by individuals involved in clerical or bureaucratic roles.

One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Zahl was Heinrich Zahl, a notable figure recorded in the city of Nuremberg in the early 15th century. He was a merchant and was involved in the city's thriving trade markets. In the late 17th century, Matthias Zahl, a watchmaker from Augsburg, gained prominence for his intricate timepieces which were sought after by the local nobility.

The Zahl family name can also be found in historical records from the 18th century. Notably, Emilia Zahl born in 1762, was a well-documented landowner in Bavaria who managed extensive properties and was known for her charitable contributions to the local community. Johann Zahl, born in 1795, was a noted academic, contributing significantly to the fields of mathematics and natural sciences at the University of Heidelberg.

In the 19th century, the name Zahl appears in various records, including immigrant lists to the United States. One prominent individual was Friedrich Zahl (1810-1878), who emigrated to America in 1848. He became a well-regarded figure in the German-American community in Pennsylvania, where he established a successful printing business.

Historically, the surname Zahl has been associated with various fields, notably commerce, academia, and artisan crafts. Its bearers have contributed to regional development, particularly in Southern Germany, and have been recorded in several significant documents spanning from the medieval period to the 19th century. Through the centuries, individuals with the surname Zahl have played roles in the economic, social, and academic spheres, reflecting the versatile nature of the name's origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zahl

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Zahl.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Zahl was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Zahl has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Zahl was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zahl, please contact us.

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