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

Zeiner, 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 Zeiner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeiner in America

Zeiner is the 38484th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeiner surname appeared 575 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 Zeiner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeiner 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 Zeiner

The surname Zeiner is of Germanic origin, with its earliest known instances appearing in medieval Germany. It is believed to have originated from the region around Bavaria and Swabia, where similar surnames were common during the Middle Ages. The name likely derives from the Middle High German word "zeigen," meaning "to show" or "to point out," which might indicate an occupational surname for someone who guided or showed others.

One of the earliest recorded references to the surname appears in the 14th century, specifically in the records of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds along the northern coast of Europe. Various spellings of the name, such as Zeiger or Zeigener, have been found in these early records, suggesting the name’s versatility and slight variations based on regional dialects.

A notable historical figure bearing the surname was Johannes Zeiner, a printer active in the late 15th century. Born around 1430 and passing away in 1504, Johannes was a pivotal figure in the early days of printing in Augsburg. He is often recognized for his contributions to the dissemination of literature during the Renaissance, with some surviving prints attributed to his workshop.

In the early 1600s, we find Jacob Zeiner mentioned in the archives of Nuremberg. Jacob, born in 1580 and deceased in 1642, was a well-known city official whose work involved managing public records and archives. His meticulous record-keeping has provided historians with valuable insights into the administrative workings of Nuremberg during that period.

Moving forward to the 18th century, records show a Heinrich Zeiner operating as a well-respected blacksmith in small towns around Stuttgart. Born in 1715 and deceased in 1789, Heinrich’s expertise in metalwork was highly esteemed, and his tools and craftsmanship were in demand throughout the region. His workshop's remnants are still displayed in a local museum.

During the 19th century, a Gustav Zeiner, born in 1802 and deceased in 1873, emerged as an influential educator and writer in the city of Frankfurt. Gustav was known for his progressive views on education and authored several works on the subject, contributing significantly to the educational reforms of his time.

These instances from different centuries illustrate the diverse occupational backgrounds and regional footprints of the Zeiner surname, reflecting its historical significance and the evolving roles of those who bore the name. The surname continues to be an emblem of heritage and history within various German-speaking communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeiner

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!