2000
#26,035
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 885
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.33
Rare Last name
Zapp
A variant spelling of the German surname "Zapp" potentially indicating an association with the region of Zapp Castle located in southwest Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,046 Americans carry the last name Zapp. That puts it at #27,910 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 327,681 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zapp surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
1.0K
1 in 327,681
Census rank
#27,910
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
912
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 912 bearers of the surname Zapp in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 27910th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapp, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zapp
The surname Zapp is believed to have originated in Germany during the medieval period, around the 13th century. The name is predominantly found in areas of the Rheinland and neighboring regions. Its etymology is closely associated with the Middle High German word zapfe, meaning tap or spigot, which would suggest a connection to the occupation of a tapster or someone who drew and served wine or beer. This derivation aligns with the surname's prevalence in wine-producing regions along the Rhine.
Historical records show that the surname Zapp appears in various archival documents from the late Middle Ages. One notable mention is found in the records of the city of Cologne from the late 14th century, where a Hans Zappe is registered as a vintner. The name was also recorded in similar variants such as Zappe and Zapf, indicating some flexibility in spelling due to dialectical influences and regional orthographic practices.
The earliest recorded example of the surname in its modern form is from 1321, when a Johann Zapp is documented in tax records from Mainz, another prominent city along the Rhine known for its viticulture. This suggests that the family may have been involved in the wine trade, a common livelihood in the region. Mainz's historical significance as an ecclesiastical center also means that records from this period are relatively well-preserved, providing valuable insights into early bearers of the surname.
A notable figure bearing the name Zapp is Johann Wilhelm Zapp, born in 1644 and passed away in 1718, a prominent merchant in the city of Frankfurt. His success in commerce helped elevate the family’s status, allowing them to intertwine with other prominent families in the region. His contributions to the local economy are well-documented in city council records, which detail his ventures in the trade of goods traveling along the Rhine.
In the 18th century, the surname Zapp made its way to the Americas. Dieter Zapp, born in 1709 and passed away in 1785, emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1735. He became a notable settler in the region, and his descendants played significant roles in the development of local communities. His journey and settlement are detailed in ship passenger lists and land purchase records from Pennsylvania archives.
Another prominent bearer of the surname was Friedrich Zapp, born in 1826 and passed away in 1899, a respected academic and scholar in Heidelberg. His work in historical linguistics and folklore is still referenced in German studies. Friedrich Zapp's contributions to academia are recorded in various university publications and his extensive written works.
The surname Zapp has also left its mark in the arts. Erich Zapp, a painter and sculptor born in 1889 and died in 1945, was known for his distinctive style that combined traditional German motifs with emerging modernist trends. His works were exhibited in several major galleries across Germany, and despite the tumultuous periods he lived through, his legacy in the art world remains preserved in museum collections and art history books.
The Zapp family name, with its roots tracing back several centuries, showcases a rich heritage intertwined with trade, migration, academia, and the arts. Understanding the historical significance of the surname helps to appreciate the diverse contributions of individuals bearing the name across different periods and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zapp
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapp, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Zapp bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zapp surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.3% · 805
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 49
- Two or more races4.4% · 40
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 5
- Black or African American0.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zapp
Zapp appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#27,604
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 872
-13 bearers (-1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.30
Rank movement Down 1,569 places
2020
#27,910
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 912
+40 bearers (+4.6%)
Per 100,000 0.31
Rank movement Down 306 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #26,035 | 885 | 0.33 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #27,604 | 872 | 0.30 | -13 bearers (-1.5%) | Down 1,569 places |
| 2020 | #27,910 | 912 | 0.31 | +40 bearers (+4.6%) | Down 306 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zapp surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #27,604 | #27,910 | -1.1% |
| Count | 872 | 912 | 4.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.30 | 0.31 | 1.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zapp bearers went from 872 to 912 (+4.6% change). The surname moved down 306 positions in the national ranking, going from #27,604 to #27,910.
FAQ
Zapp surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zapp?
Name Census estimates that about 1,046 living Americans carry the surname Zapp. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 327,681 residents.
How common is Zapp?
Zapp ranks #27,910 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.31 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 912 people with the surname Zapp. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,046), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.31 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.31 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zapp.
Has Zapp become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zapp went from 872 recorded bearers to 912. That is an increase of 40 (+4.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #27,604 to #27,910.
What does the Census say about the background of Zapp?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zapp, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (4.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zapp in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.3% (805 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zapp appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.3%), Hispanic (5.4%), Two or More Races (4.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zapp (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zapp mean?
A variant spelling of the German surname "Zapp" potentially indicating an association with the region of Zapp Castle located in southwest Germany. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zapp (0.31 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Zapp?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Zapp, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.