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

Zeglen, 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 Zeglen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeglen in America

Zeglen is the 75564th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeglen surname appeared 255 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 Zeglen.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeglen 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 Zeglen

The surname Zeglen originates from Poland, with historical roots tracing back to the medieval period. Located primarily in the regions of Pomerania and Masovia, the name is believed to derive from an old Polish word "żeglarz," which means sailor or navigator. This origin suggests that the name was initially used to describe people who were involved in maritime activities, particularly in the Baltic Sea.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Zeglen appears in 15th-century documents from Gdańsk, a major port city in Pomerania. Gdańsk's records from 1478 mention a Jan Zeglen, who was a well-known shipbuilder in the area, thereby supporting the maritime link associated with the name.

Historical manuscripts, such as the diocesan records of the Roman Catholic Church in Kraków from the 16th century, document the presence of a Piotr Zeglen, born in 1534. He served as a local merchant and his family was known to be involved in shipping goods along the Vistula River, promoting trade within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

The name also appears in military records during the 17th century, particularly during the Swedish Deluge, a series of mid-17th-century wars. A notable figure, Captain Michał Zeglen, born in 1621 and recorded deceased in 1657, served under the command of Jan II Kazimierz Vasa, defending Polish territories against Swedish forces.

Moving into the 18th century, genealogical records from Warsaw reveal a Józef Zeglen, born in 1758, who was an esteemed craftsman known for producing navigational instruments. These instruments were highly sought-after by sailors and merchants across the Baltic region, further emphasizing the surname's nautical heritage.

In more recent historical contexts, the name appears in 19th-century immigration records, particularly among Polish emigrants to the United States. One prominent individual was Antoni Zeglen, born in 1849, who emigrated in 1882 and became a prominent community leader among the Polish diaspora in Chicago, Illinois. His work in preserving Polish culture and heritage in America made a lasting impact on the community.

Throughout these various records, Zeglen has been occasionally spelled with minor variations such as Zehlen or Zegełn, reflecting different phonetic representations in local dialects or transcription errors over centuries. Regardless of the spelling, the surname consistently alludes to a lineage deeply connected with maritime ventures and navigation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeglen

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

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

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

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