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

Zale, 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 Zale surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zale in America

Zale is the 34801st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zale surname appeared 649 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 Zale.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zale 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 Zale

The surname Zale traces its origins to Eastern Europe, primarily within regions that are part of modern-day Poland and surrounding Slavic countries. The name likely emerged between the 12th and 14th centuries, during the period when surnames began to be adopted for more formal identification purposes. Derived from the Slavic word "zal," which means "flood" or "flooded area," the name is thought to have been initially descriptive of individuals who lived near flood-prone areas or bodies of water.

Early historical records mentioning the surname Zale can be found in various ecclesiastical and land documents from the medieval period. For instance, Polish legal documents from the 1300s have references to families with the name Zale or its variations. Parchment records held in local monasteries and churches show that the name was associated with land ownership and trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is found in a 1398 land grant to a Jan Zale, a minor noble who lived in the Lesser Poland region. Another early mention is in a 1423 court document involving a dispute over property near the River San, where a Mikolaj Zale appears as a witness.

Jerzy Zale, born in 1543 and died in 1601, was a notable figure in Polish history. A merchant and an alderman in the city of Krakow, Jerzy Zale is documented for his involvement in regional trade and commerce. His ledgers and correspondences offer crucial insights into the economic activities of the time.

In the early 17th century, the Zale family expanded into the territories of the Habsburg Empire, including areas that are now part of Ukraine and Austria. Stanislaw Zale, who lived from 1610 to 1675, served as a military officer in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. His military service is documented in several military dispatches and letters preserved in the Krakow Archives.

Further evidence of the surname's prominence can be found in 18th-century records. Jakub Zale, born in 1760 and died in 1823, was an influential figure during the partitions of Poland. He is noted for his involvement in local political movements advocating Polish independence. Jakub's correspondences with contemporary national leaders provide significant historical context about the era's socio-political dynamics.

In the 19th century, the Zale surname appeared in emigration records as many individuals from Eastern Europe moved to the Americas. Records from Ellis Island indicate that Aleksander Zale, who arrived in the United States in 1882, was among the immigrants. Born in 1856 and died in 1924, he eventually settled in Chicago and became known for his contributions to the Polish-American community.

The Zale surname has a compelling history rooted in the historical and socio-economic developments of Eastern Europe. Its bearers have played significant roles in their communities, their names recorded in various historical documents as markers of their contributions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zale

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

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 Zale 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 Zale 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 Zale was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!