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

Zehler, 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 Zehler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zehler in America

Zehler is the 78567th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zehler surname appeared 243 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 Zehler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zehler 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 Zehler

The surname Zehler has its origins in the Germanic regions of Europe, with its earliest records pointing towards medieval Germany. The name is particularly rooted in areas like Bavaria and Saxony, where many surnames were developed based on occupations, geographical features, or characteristic traits.

Etymologically, Zehler could be derived from the Middle High German word "zehelaere" which means "toll collector" or "tax gatherer." This aligns with the occupational origins often seen in Germanic surnames, indicating that the initial bearers of this surname might have been involved in fiscal roles within their communities. Variations in spelling such as Zähler or Zehl could be indicative of regional dialects and phonetic shifts over time.

The name Zehler appears in early historical references such as tax records and legal documents from the 14th and 15th centuries. These documents often listed the names of individuals responsible for collecting tolls or taxes in a given region. For instance, a Hans Zehler was documented as serving as a toll collector in Bavaria circa 1475.

In the 16th century, the name starts to appear with greater frequency in various parish records. An Otto Zehler, born in 1542 and died in 1609, is noted for his role in the administration of Saxony's financial matters. His contributions were significant enough to have been recorded in local chronicles.

Another historical figure, Maria Zehler, born in 1620 and died in 1681, is known through church registers. She was mentioned several times regarding charitable activities in her community in Bremen. These mentions help illustrate the social roles of families bearing this surname during that period.

Moving into the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Zehler, born in 1741 and died in 1793, was a prominent landowner and businessman in Leipzig. His ventures in agriculture and trade are well-documented, showing that the name was associated not only with administrative duties but also with entrepreneurial activities.

In the early 19th century, the name spread further due to migration and economic factors. Wilhelm Zehler, born in 1802 and died in 1867, was a notable figure during this period. He emigrated to the United States and established a successful printing business in Pennsylvania, marking the diaspora of the surname beyond Europe.

Throughout history, the surname Zehler has been indicative of various roles within society, from fiscal responsibilities to entrepreneurial endeavors. The individuals bearing this surname contributed in various ways to the fabric of their communities, as evidenced by records and historical references spanning several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zehler

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

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

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

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