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

Zechman, 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 Zechman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zechman in America

Zechman is the 26492nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zechman surname appeared 921 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 Zechman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zechman 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 Zechman

The surname Zechman finds its origins in Germany, a country renowned for its lineage of surnames rooted in occupations, geography, and personal characteristics. Emerging during the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries, this name is thought to derive from the Germanic personal name Zech, which itself might be an abbreviated form of Zacharias or originate from a simple descriptive term meaning a person of cheerful disposition, as "zeche" in old High German suggests.

Initially, the name was prevalent in regions like Bavaria and the Rhineland, areas known for their rich cultural and linguistic history. Variants of the surname, such as Zechmann and Zeigman, can also be found in older records, indicating subtle shifts in spelling over time due to regional dialects and phonetic changes.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a Zechman can be traced back to the 14th century in German church records. A Johannes Zechman appears in these documents as a resident of a small village near the city of Würzburg in 1372. Similarly, in the late 15th century, records from the Hanseatic League mention a trader named Ulrich Zechman who was noted for his substantial contributions to the league.

In the context of historical manuscripts, the Zechman name appears in the annals of the Thirty Years' War, specifically through Captain Hans Zechmann born in 1598, who served in various capacities under the Swedish regent King Gustavus Adolphus. His military records from the early 17th century highlight the presence and participation of individuals with this surname in significant historical events.

Moving into the 18th century, Colonel Friedrich Zechmann, born in 1725, was a distinguished figure in the Prussian army. His strategic insights during various military campaigns have left a trace in military archives, underlining his role in the shaping of early modern European military history.

The name also surfaces in American history with the migration of German settlers to Pennsylvania in the mid-18th century. Conrad Zechman, born in 1743, was one of the early arrivals and participated in the American Revolutionary War. His noteworthy involvement earned him a mention in pension records from the 1790s, providing insights into the contributions of German immigrants to American independence.

In the 19th century, Gottfried Zechman, born in 1824, established himself as a prominent figure in the burgeoning industrial landscape of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His entrepreneurial ventures in brewing and trade are documented in regional business directories and historical accounts, reflecting the migratory patterns and subsequent success of German-Americans.

These historical references and recorded instances provide a comprehensive view of the surname Zechman, illustrating its evolution, geographic spread, and the notable contributions of individuals bearing this name through centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zechman

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

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

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

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