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

Zeilman, 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 Zeilman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeilman in America

Zeilman is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeilman surname appeared 203 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 Zeilman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeilman 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 Zeilman

The surname Zeilman originates from Germany, likely dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have emerged in the regions of what is now central and eastern Germany. The root of the surname can be traced to the Old High German word "zeilen" which means "to aim" or "to set a sail," suggesting that the name may have initially been occupational in nature, possibly associated with sailors, navigators, or craftsmen who worked with sails.

One of the earliest historical references to the name Zeilman appears in late medieval records. A 14th-century manuscript housed in a monastery in Thuringia mentions a "Johannes Zeilman" who was noted for his contributions to the local shipbuilding industry. This points to the name's connection with navigation and craftsmanship.

In various historical documents, the surname appears in slightly different spellings, including Zeilmann and Zeillman. Such variations were common and often dependent on the literacy level of the record keepers and the phonetic interpretations of the name. By the 15th century, the name Zeilman was recorded in the city annals of Leipzig, suggesting a spread of the surname to urban centers.

Among the notable individuals bearing the surname Zeilman, Hans Zeilman, born in 1567 and died in 1624, was a well-documented merchant in the Hanseatic League, an influential commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. His records show extensive trade routes and business dealings across the Baltic Sea.

In the early 18th century, another prominent bearer of the name was Friedrich Zeilman, born in 1692 and died in 1748, a noted astronomer who contributed significantly to the understanding of celestial navigation, his works preserving ancient seafaring knowledge.

The 19th century saw Caroline Zeilman, born in 1823 and died in 1895, who was a pioneer in women's education in Saxony, founding one of the first private schools for girls which aimed to offer comprehensive education inclusive of sciences, languages, and arts.

Leopold Zeilman, born in 1857 and died in 1934, was a renowned painter part of the Art Nouveau movement, whose works focusing on the German landscape and seafaring scenes were celebrated in numerous European art galleries.

By the early 20th century, the name continued to gain prominence, with Johann Zeilman, born in 1901 and died in 1975, a distinguished engineer involved in early aviation technology advancements. His innovations in aircraft design had a lasting impact on both commercial and military aviation technologies.

Throughout history, the surname Zeilman has been associated with professions and contributions that underscore a legacy connected to craftsmanship, navigation, education, arts, and engineering. This rich heritage not only signifies the diverse talents of individuals with this surname but also reflects their influence on the different societies they were part of across the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeilman

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

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

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

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