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

Zehr, 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 Zehr surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zehr in America

Zehr is the 10620th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zehr surname appeared 3,015 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Zehr.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zehr 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 Zehr

The surname Zehr has its origins in Germany, traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "zern," meaning "to wander" or "to migrate." This suggests that the name may have been initially assigned as a descriptive name for someone who traveled frequently or had recently relocated.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Zehr name can be found in the town records of Ulm, Germany, dating back to 1589, where a certain Hans Zehr was mentioned as a resident. The name also appeared in various church registers and tax records in the regions of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria during the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the 19th century, the Zehr surname gained prominence in the Mennonite communities of Switzerland and southern Germany. Many Mennonites with the Zehr name immigrated to North America, particularly to Ontario, Canada, and Pennsylvania, USA, seeking religious freedom and new opportunities.

One notable bearer of the Zehr name was Johann Zehr (1699-1786), a Mennonite minister and farmer from the region of Palatinate, Germany. He played a significant role in the early Mennonite settlements in Pennsylvania and is considered an important figure in the history of the Mennonite faith in North America.

Another individual of historical significance was David Zehr (1804-1879), a Mennonite bishop and farmer from Ontario, Canada. He was instrumental in establishing several Mennonite congregations and promoting the growth of the Mennonite community in the region.

In the 20th century, Albert Zehr (1888-1974), a Canadian agronomist and educator, made significant contributions to the field of agricultural science. He is best known for his work on improving crop yields and developing new varieties of wheat and oats.

Elsie Zehr (1913-2000), a Canadian artist and painter, gained recognition for her vibrant landscape paintings depicting rural scenes from her native Ontario. Her works are part of numerous private and public collections, including the National Gallery of Canada.

The Zehr surname can also be traced back to various place names in Germany, such as Zehren, a municipality in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and Zehrental, a valley located in the Black Forest region of Baden-Württemberg. These geographical locations may have influenced the spelling variations of the name over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zehr

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

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

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

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