2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zehnle
A surname of German origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupational term related to tenant farming or agriculture.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Zehnle. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zehnle 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Zehnle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehnle, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zehnle
The surname Zehnle is of German origin, with roots traceable to the medieval period of the Holy Roman Empire, specifically around the 12th and 13th centuries. The name is primarily associated with the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria in southern Germany. It is derived from an old Germanic name or term, likely rooted in local dialects or descriptive characteristics associated with a family's origins or occupation.
The name Zehnle possibly originates from a diminutive or affectionate form of a given name, or it may derive from a place name or geographical feature. In medieval times, surnames were often assigned based on a person's residence, occupation, or physical characteristics. Variations and similar spellings could include Zehnli, Zehnel, and Zehnlein, reflecting the fluid nature of spelling in historical records.
Historical records and manuscripts from the region occasionally include early references to the name. While there is no evidence of the name appearing in significant documents like the Domesday Book, local parish registers, land deeds, and tax records from the 14th and 15th centuries mention several individuals bearing the surname Zehnle or its variants.
One of the earliest recorded examples includes Georg Zehnle, born in 1423 in a small village near Stuttgart. He was a prominent farmer and community leader, whose name appears in various local documents concerning land transactions and community events. Johann Zehnle, another significant figure, was born in 1550 in Ulm and served as a respected local magistrate until his death in 1612.
A notable family carrying the Zehnle surname were merchants in Augsburg in the late 16th century. Martin Zehnle, born in 1565, was a successful wine trader who expanded his business throughout the Swabian region. Records indicate that his dealings frequently brought him into contact with influential figures of the time, including members of the Fugger family, prominent bankers in Europe.
In the 18th century, Christoph Zehnle (1702-1760) is documented as a master carpenter in Nuremberg. His work contributed to several notable constructions in the city, blending traditional craftsmanship with emerging architectural styles of the period. Around the same time, Maria Zehnle (born 1736) gained local fame in her village near Heidelberg as a healer and herbalist, her knowledge of traditional remedies passed down through generations.
The surname Zehnle persists into modern times, carried on by descendants who retain a connection to their Germanic roots. While historical records of the surname are sporadic, the documented individuals help paint a picture of the name's rich heritage. The Zehnle name, woven into the fabric of southern German history, reflects the diverse roles its bearers played in their communities over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zehnle
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehnle, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Hispanic (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zehnle 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 Zehnle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 95
- Two or more races7.5% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zehnle
Zehnle 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,871 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 989 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 12,871 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 989 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 Zehnle 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 | #152,628 | #151,639 | 0.6% |
| Count | 107 | 107 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zehnle bearers went from 107 to 107 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 989 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #151,639.
FAQ
Zehnle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zehnle?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Zehnle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Zehnle?
Zehnle ranks #151,639 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 107 people with the surname Zehnle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Zehnle.
Has Zehnle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zehnle went from 107 recorded bearers to 107. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Zehnle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehnle, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.5%) and Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Zehnle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zehnle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Two or More Races (7.5%), Hispanic (1.9%). 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 Zehnle (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 Zehnle mean?
A surname of German origin, possibly derived from a place name or occupational term related to tenant farming or agriculture. 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 Zehnle (0.04 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 share the surname Zehnle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.