2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zehrer
A locational surname derived from a place name in German-speaking regions.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Zehrer. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zehrer 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Zehrer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehrer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zehrer
The surname Zehrer hails from the German-speaking regions of Europe, with its origins likely tracing back to the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. This surname is primarily associated with localities in what are today Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. "Zehrer" itself is likely derived from the Middle High German word 'zehren,' meaning 'to consume' or 'to devour,' suggesting that the original bearers of the name might have been involved in some occupation related to food, such as butchery, milling, or innkeeping.
Historical records provide some insight into the early use of the surname. One of the earliest mentions of a person with this surname can be found in a 14th-century manuscript listing the residents of a village in Bavaria. Benedict Zehrer, born around 1375, appears in local tax records, indicating he was a landholder and involved in local governance.
The early Zehrers often resided in regions around the Tyrol and Bavarian Alps. Another historical figure, Johannes Zehrer, born in 1445, served as a respected miller in the small village of Kufstein, close to the present-day border between Germany and Austria. His mill was essential to the community, suggesting the Zehrers were trusted members of local trades.
In the late 16th century, records from a parish register in the Austrian region of Styria mention Margaretha Zehrer, born in 1579, who was notable for her involvement in charitable activities. Her family continued to live in the village for several generations, contributing to the local economy and welfare.
Records from the Protestant Reformation period in Switzerland mention a Heinrich Zehrer, born in 1510, who became a prominent figure during the religious and political upheavals. Heinrich Zehrer participated in several local councils, assisting in the governance and peacekeeping of his community in Bern.
In the 17th century, the Thirty Years' War had a significant impact on the Zehrer family. Despite the widespread disruption, Michael Zehrer, born in 1623, managed to maintain his family's holdings in southern Germany. He later became known for his letters detailing the challenges of that tumultuous period, providing valuable insights into the era's social and economic conditions.
The surname Zehrer has thus traversed a varied historical landscape, with its bearers often taking on roles that deeply integrated them into their communities. From millers and landholders to notable local figures involved in governance and charity, the Zehrer name is rich in historical roots and contributions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zehrer
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehrer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zehrer 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 Zehrer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zehrer
Zehrer 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-3 bearers (-2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,612 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+7 bearers (+6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,125 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.7%) | Down 12,612 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.4%) | Up 5,125 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 Zehrer 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 | #149,395 | #144,270 | 3.4% |
| Count | 110 | 117 | 6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zehrer bearers went from 110 to 117 (+6.4% change). The surname moved up 5,125 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #144,270.
FAQ
Zehrer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zehrer?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Zehrer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Zehrer?
Zehrer ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Zehrer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Zehrer.
Has Zehrer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zehrer went from 110 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 7 (+6.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #149,395 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Zehrer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zehrer, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zehrer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zehrer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zehrer (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 Zehrer mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name in German-speaking regions. 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 Zehrer (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 have the surname Zehrer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.