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

Zank, 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 Zank surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zank in America

Zank is the 31754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zank surname appeared 727 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 Zank.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zank 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 Zank

The surname Zank is believed to have its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe. Tracing back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries, the name is primarily associated with areas that are now parts of Germany and Austria. It is derived from an older German word "zanken," which means to quarrel or dispute, suggesting it might have initially been a nickname for a contentious or argumentative person.

The surname Zank appears in various historical records. A notable early mention is in the Feudal records of the Holy Roman Empire, where it appears in city registries and local documents. For example, in a 14th-century tax record from Augsburg, a Heinrich Zank was listed as a landowner and tax contributor. Such records provide valuable insight into the socio-economic status and geographical distribution of individuals bearing the name.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Zank is found in the annals of Vienna, where a Conrad Zank is mentioned in the context of local guild activities. This Conrad Zank, who was active in the late 15th century, is depicted as being involved in the craft guilds, reflecting the occupational distributions of surnames during that period.

The spelling of the name has experienced minor variations over time, with "Zanck" being an older variant found in the Rhineland-Palatinate region. For instance, Anna Zanck, born in 1502, is recorded in the baptismal records of Speyer, highlighting the regional spelling nuances and the prevalence of the surname in that area.

Throughout history, several individuals with the surname Zank have made notable contributions. Georg Zank, born in 1725, was a well-documented merchant in Bavaria, whose business correspondences provide insights into the trade networks of that period. Later, in the 19th century, Karl Zank, born in 1803, became a prominent figure in the cultural landscape of Vienna, known for his work in the burgeoning theater scene of the time.

A prominent 20th-century bearer of the surname was Erwin Zank, a notable German engineer born in 1900, who contributed to advancements in mechanical engineering. His works and patents are still referenced in contemporary engineering literature, demonstrating the lasting impact of individuals with this surname.

While less common today, historical records provide a window into the lives of those who bore the surname Zank, reflecting its etymological roots in human characteristics and its spread across various regions in German-speaking Europe. The persistence of the surname in historical documents underscores its significance in genealogical and onomatological studies.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zank

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

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

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

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