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

Zee, 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 Zee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zee in America

Zee is the 25601st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zee surname appeared 964 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 Zee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zee 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 Zee

The surname Zee has its origins in the Netherlands, derived from the Dutch word "zee," which means "sea." The name likely emerged during the medieval period when surnames began to be used more frequently as identifiers for families and individuals. The Netherlands, with its extensive coastline and significance in maritime activities, was the likely starting point for this surname, particularly in coastal regions.

The surname Zee can be traced back to a time when people were often named after geographical features, occupations, or notable traits. In this context, Zee would have been a reference to the sea, possibly indicating that the original bearers of the name lived near the coast or were involved in seafaring or fishing activities. Similar spellings from older records include "van der Zee," meaning "from the sea," which was a more common way of denoting one's place of origin in the Dutch language.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name appears in historical records from the 15th century. Van der Zee was documented in several Dutch maritime towns, with one of the notable bearers being Jan van der Zee, a fisherman from the coastal town of Harlingen, who was mentioned in a land registry document from 1492.

As time progressed, the surname Zee became established, and its bearers spread throughout the Netherlands and beyond. By the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age saw many Zee families involved in trade and maritime enterprises. One prominent individual of this era was Pieter van der Zee (1623-1671), a renowned Dutch navigator who contributed to the mapping of the Netherlands' maritime routes.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, migration saw the surname Zee appearing in various parts of the world, including the Dutch colonies and the Americas. Notably, Willem Zee (1764-1839) emigrated to America, where he played a significant role in the Dutch-American community, contributing to local governance and trade in New York.

The 19th century also saw the emergence of Dirk Zee (1801-1878), a Dutch scientist known for his work in marine biology. He was instrumental in pioneering early studies of the North Sea's ecosystem, and his contributions were recognized posthumously by several European scientific societies.

Towards the late 19th century, Ingeborg Zee (1865-1932), a Dutch artist, gained fame for her seascape paintings that beautifully captured the essence of her coastal homeland. Her works remain celebrated in galleries in the Netherlands and have been influential in promoting Dutch maritime heritage.

Overall, the surname Zee, rooted in its Dutch origins, has been associated with the sea and maritime activities throughout history. From early fishermen to renowned navigators, scientists, and artists, individuals bearing this surname have contributed to various fields while maintaining a connection to their maritime heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zee

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

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

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

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