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

Zarr, 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 Zarr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zarr in America

Zarr is the 40144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zarr surname appeared 546 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 Zarr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zarr 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 Zarr

The surname Zarr is believed to have originated from Central Europe, particularly within the regions of present-day Germany and Austria. The earliest references to the name date back to the late Middle Ages, around the 13th and 14th centuries. It is derived from the Middle High German word "zar," which means "rough" or "rugged," possibly indicative of a tough or resilient ancestor. In varying dialects, the spelling sometimes shifted to Zar or Zähr.

Historical records from the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe, contain mentions of individuals with the surname Zarr. One notable record is found in a Hanseatic ledger dated to 1376, which lists a merchant named Heinrich Zarr of Lübeck, a major trading hub at the time.

The name can also be traced through medieval court documents, where a knight known as Johann Zarr was recorded as part of the Teutonic Order in the late 14th century. Johann Zarr, born around 1350, was notable for his role in defending territories in present-day Poland and the Baltic States. He passed away in 1401, leaving behind records of his valor and contributions to the Order.

In the annals of local German nobility, there was a Zarr family that owned estates in Thuringia during the 16th century. One such figure, Wilhelm Zarr, born in 1553, was a minor noble and influential local politician. He served as an advisor to the Duke of Thuringia and was instrumental in regional governance and political affairs. He died in 1612, leaving behind a considerable legacy in local histories.

Seventeenth-century military records from the Thirty Years' War include reference to Captain Friedrich Zarr, born in 1604, who led a regiment in the service of the Holy Roman Empire. Known for his strategic acumen, Friedrich Zarr was commemorated for several key victories before his death in 1651.

In the early 1700s, a notable scholar named Matthias Zarr emerged, born in 1679. Matthias was a prominent figure in the fields of philosophy and theology, teaching at the University of Heidelberg and authoring several influential texts on metaphysics until his death in 1745. His works remain studied in academic circles focused on Enlightenment-era thought.

The surname Zarr, though not exceedingly common, has been borne by individuals who played significant roles in their respective domains, leaving a lasting impression on historical records and regional histories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zarr

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

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

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

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