Zaller last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zaller

A surname derived from a Middle High German term for a saddler or saddle-maker.

Zaller, 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 Zaller surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zaller in America

Zaller is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zaller surname appeared 192 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 Zaller.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zaller 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 95115 88083 7.68%
Count 192 196 -2.06%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Zaller

The surname Zaller originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly within the areas now known as Germany and Austria. The name is believed to have been derived from the Middle High German word "Sal" or "Salle," which means "hall" or "manor," suggesting that the original bearers of the name might have been associated with manorial estates, either as stewards or residents. Another possibility is that it derived from "Zahl," meaning "number" or "count," potentially indicating a role such as a tax collector or an official responsible for tallying.

Tracing its historical references, the name Zaller appears in various medieval documents and manuscripts. One of the earliest mentions can be found in a 13th-century record from the region of Bavaria, where a certain "Hans Zaller" was listed as a witness to a land grant. Similarly, in a 14th-century urban registry, a "Heinrich Zaller" is noted as a prominent citizen and merchant in the city of Augsburg, showcasing the name's early urban presence.

The earliest recorded example of the name Zaller dates back to 1278, with an individual named "Eberhardus Zallerus" mentioned in a legal document in Swabia, a historical region of Germany. The name also appears in various forms in parish records throughout Southern Germany in the 15th century, where variations like "Zaller," "Zahler," and "Saler" were recorded, pointing to regional spelling differences.

Historically notable individuals with the surname include Georg Zaller, born in 1453, who served as a chancellor in a princely court in Bavaria, playing a significant role in the administration of justice during his tenure until his death in 1507. Another significant figure was Matthias Zaller, a renowned mathematician and astronomer born in 1589 in Graz, Austria, who published several influential works before his death in 1643.

In addition, Johann Zaller, an influential Lutheran theologian born in 1622, contributed to religious reform movements in Germany during the mid-17th century up to his death in 1683. The name also appears in the annals of the Habsburg military records, with Captain Hans Dietrich Zaller, born in 1759, serving valiantly during the Austro-Turkish wars and passing away in 1822.

Lastly, a noteworthy figure is Marie Zaller, a pioneering educator and advocate for women's education in 19th-century Vienna. Born in 1802, she founded several schools promoting progressive educational practices until her death in 1876.

Thus, the surname Zaller has deep historical roots, spanning several centuries and appearing across various regions and occupations within German-speaking Europe. The name has evolved through different spellings and has been borne by individuals who have made notable contributions in diverse fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zaller

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

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 Zaller was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.35% 185
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.00% 0
Hispanic Origin 2.60% 5

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 Zaller has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.35% 96.43% -0.08%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 2.60% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"Zaller last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zaller-surname-popularity/.

"Zaller last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zaller-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Zaller last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zaller-surname-popularity/.

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