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

Zeiger, 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 Zeiger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeiger in America

Zeiger is the 17014th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeiger surname appeared 1,670 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 Zeiger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeiger 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 Zeiger

The surname Zeiger has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in what is now modern-day Germany and Austria. The name is believed to have first emerged in the medieval period, around the 13th to 15th centuries. It is derived from the Middle High German word zeigære, which translates to sign-post or pointer and may have been used to denote someone who showed directions or acted as a guide.

The areas where this surname was originally found were rural and urban centers within the Holy Roman Empire, regions which today are primarily within Germany's borders. This surname likely has occupational roots, indicating a person's role or profession within their community. Variants of the name such as Zeigler, Zeigher, and Zechmeister can also be found in historical records, highlighting slight regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Historical references to the surname Zeiger appear sporadically in medieval manuscripts and records. One of the early notable occurrences is in a Bavarian tax register from the late 14th century. It shows a Heinrich Zeiger as a landowner, illustrating how the name was in documented use among local registries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the surname was Hans Zeiger, a burgher in the city of Augsburg, recorded in 1511. His record is found in civic documents where he is noted for his contributions to local commerce. Another early bearer of the name was Johannes Zeiger, noted in a 16th-century parish record from the region around Nuremberg, illustrating the spread of the name within central Europe.

An important figure in more recent history is Eugen Zeiger (1866–1939), an Austrian engineer known for his work in the development of early railway systems. His contributions were instrumental in the establishment of efficient public transportation networks in Austria and neighboring regions.

In 19th century America, Adolph Zeiger (1828-1904) was a well-known immigrant who became a prominent figure in the German-American community, advocating for immigrant rights and contributing to the development of German cultural associations in Pennsylvania.

Lastly, Alexander Zeiger (1896–1957) was a noted Jewish scholar and professor in Germany who, due to his significant academic contributions before and after World War II, played a pivotal role in preserving Jewish history and literature during tumultuous times.

In studying the surname Zeiger, it is clear that the name has a rich history rooted in Germanic regions, with variations that reflect its usage and significance across different areas and periods, continuing to this day.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeiger

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

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

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

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