2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zeanah
A surname derived from an Arabic place name or word meaning "beauty."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 111 Americans carry the last name Zeanah. That puts it at #156,449 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,087,877 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeanah 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
111
1 in 3,087,877
Census rank
#156,449
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
97
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 97 bearers of the surname Zeanah in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156449th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeanah
The surname Zeanah is relatively rare and its origins are somewhat obscure. It is believed to have roots in Europe, possibly stemming from Eastern European or Germanic regions. The earliest appearances of similar-sounding names trace back to the medieval period, indicating that the name may have undergone various transformations over centuries.
One of the oldest references to a name resembling Zeanah can be traced to old manuscripts from the 14th century in Central Europe. These records often feature variations such as Zähen or Zehner, which might be linked through etymological evolution. The name could be derived from an old word related to “measure” or “ten,” suggesting a historical connection to professions or roles involving counting, such as a tax collector or a census taker.
Historical references to families bearing this surname are scarce, but notable mentions include a 15th-century document from Bavaria, where a Johann Zehner was recorded as a prominent citizen and merchant. This indicates that the roots of the name might also lie in regions where German was spoken and written.
One 17th-century iteration of the surname, spelled as Zeanah, appears in court records from Württemberg, where a Wilhelm Zeanah was noted for his involvement in trade. His noteworthy contribution to the local economy earned him recognition among peers and a lasting place in regional history.
Moving into the 18th century, the surname appears in emigration records, suggesting that bearers of the name relocated to North America and other parts of the world. One significant figure is Friedrich Zeanah, born in 1763, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1785. His descendants played vital roles in their communities, contributing to the surname’s spread and preservation.
Another notable individual is Magdalena Zeanah, born in 1820, who became known for her philanthropic efforts in her local parish in Baden-Württemberg. Her work in establishing a community school marks an important chapter in the family’s history.
By the early 20th century, the surname Zeanah was found in various parts of the United States. One influential bearer was Benjamin Zeanah, born in 1887, who became a respected professor of mathematics and made significant contributions to his field, enhancing the name’s reputation in academic circles.
In summary, the surname Zeanah has a rich historical tapestry, originating in medieval Europe and evolving through various linguistic and cultural shifts. Different versions of the name have been found in historical records, each contributing to our understanding of its progression over time. While rare, the surname's bearers have made distinct marks on history, from medieval merchants to modern academics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeanah
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeanah 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 Zeanah surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.9% · 94
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 2
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeanah
Zeanah 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,385 places
2020
#156,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 97
-16 bearers (-14.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,248 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,385 places |
| 2020 | #156,449 | 97 | 0.03 | -16 bearers (-14.2%) | Down 10,248 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 Zeanah 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 | #146,201 | #156,449 | -7.0% |
| Count | 113 | 97 | -14.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -18.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeanah bearers went from 113 to 97 (-14.2% change). The surname moved down 10,248 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #156,449.
FAQ
Zeanah surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeanah?
Name Census estimates that about 111 living Americans carry the surname Zeanah. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,087,877 residents.
How common is Zeanah?
Zeanah ranks #156,449 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 97 people with the surname Zeanah. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (111), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zeanah.
Has Zeanah become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeanah went from 113 recorded bearers to 97. That is a decrease of 16 (-14.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #146,201 to #156,449.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeanah?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeanah, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Zeanah in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeanah appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.9%), Hispanic (2.1%), Two or More Races (1.0%). 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 Zeanah (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 Zeanah mean?
A surname derived from an Arabic place name or word meaning "beauty." 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 Zeanah (0.03 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 many people are called Zeanah?
You can see how many people are called Zeanah on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.