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

Zapfe, 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 Zapfe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zapfe in America

Zapfe is the 80131st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zapfe surname appeared 237 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 Zapfe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zapfe 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 Zapfe

The surname Zapfe is believed to have originated in German-speaking regions, particularly within Germany and parts of Austria. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th centuries, a common era for the formalization of surnames in Europe. In these areas, the name Zapfe may have been tied to specific occupations or characteristics.

The etymology of Zapfe derives from the Middle High German word "zapfen," which means "to tap" or "plug," often associated with tapping barrels in the context of beer and wine production. Consequently, the name might have been occupational, referring to someone who worked as a tapster or someone who made or handled barrel taps. Variants of the name include Zäpfe and Zäpfle, reflecting regional dialectical differences.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Zapfe can be traced back to an ecclesiastical record from the late 13th century in Bavaria. In these records, a Hans Zapfe is documented as a worker at a local brewery in 1294. This historical reference supports the theory of the name's occupational origins.

In subsequent generations, the name Zapfe continued to appear in various documents across the German-speaking regions. A noteworthy individual was Georg Zapfe, a notable beer barrel maker from Nuremberg born around 1450, who was mentioned in city guild records in the early 16th century. His contributions to improving barrel-making techniques were significant in his time, and his name was recorded in several guild records between 1502 and 1521.

During the 17th century, the surname also appears in religious records. A Lutheran pastor named Johann Friedrich Zapfe was prominent in Saxony around the early 1600s. Born in 1583, he held several key positions within the church and was known for his published theological works until his death in 1651.

In the 18th century, Maria Anna Zapfe, née Bauer, born in 1697, was a recognized figure due to her marriage into a wealthy land-owning family in Austria. Her role in the management of their estates near Salzburg is noted in estate records from the 1730s and 1740s.

The name also appears in literary references in the late 19th century. Friedrich Wilhelm Zapfe, born in 1834, was a German poet and playwright whose works were well-received in literary circles of the time. His writings often reflected themes of folk tradition and rural life, and his most famous work, "Die Zapfenspiele," was published in 1877.

Lastly, an industrialist named Karl Heinrich Zapfe, born in 1865, made significant contributions to the development of brewing machinery in Munich. His innovations in the design of brewing tools and equipment are documented in trade publications from the late 19th century, leading up to his death in 1922.

Throughout history, the surname Zapfe has appeared in various forms and contexts, maintaining its strong ties to its occupational roots and regional influences in the German-speaking world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zapfe

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

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

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

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