2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zeisset
An anglicized form of a German surname derived from the term "Ziese" meaning a watercourse.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 132 Americans carry the last name Zeisset. That puts it at #145,757 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,596,624 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeisset 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
132
1 in 2,596,624
Census rank
#145,757
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
115
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 115 bearers of the surname Zeisset in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145757th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeisset, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeisset
The surname Zeisset is believed to have originated in the German-speaking regions of Europe, likely in what is now modern-day Germany or Switzerland. The name appears to have roots in the Alemannic German dialect, which was spoken in those areas from the early medieval period onward. During these times, surnames were often derived from characteristics of the land, occupations, or personal attributes.
The etymology of Zeisset can be traced back to words like Zeisig, which means siskin in German, a small type of songbird. The suffix -et is a diminutive, indicating that the name likely began as a nickname for someone who had a bird-like quality or was possibly a bird-catcher. Another possibility is that it was a locative surname, associated with a place where such birds were commonly found.
Historical references to the surname Zeisset appear sparse, yet one of the earliest known records is found in a 16th-century church register in the region of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Given that written records were not meticulously kept for common folk in earlier centuries, this might be one of the earlier preserved mentions of the name.
One notable individual is Hans Zeisset, born in 1607 and recorded as a miller in the town of Freiburg. His life and work offer a glimpse into the surname's early connection to trades and community roles. Another documented figure is Maria Zeisset, born in 1725, who was noted in the parish records of Karlsruhe for her involvement in local weaving guilds.
The 18th century also saw the emergence of Johann Friedrich Zeisset, who lived from 1743 to 1801 and was known for his work as a clockmaker in Tübingen. His intricate designs and precision in craftsmanship brought some recognition to the name within local artisan circles. By the late 19th century, Karl Zeisset, born in 1858 in Heidelberg, made his mark as a schoolteacher and scholar, contributing to educational reforms in the region.
Donata Zeisset, a 19th-century figure born in 1871, became well-known for her philanthropic activities in Stuttgart. She played a significant role in the establishment of several charitable institutions, particularly focusing on the welfare of orphans and the poor.
Over the centuries, some bearers of the surname Zeisset migrated to other parts of Europe and the New World, especially during periods of upheaval or economic opportunity. The name has occasionally varied in spelling, including forms like Zeissig and Zeissett, reflecting the phonetic tendencies of different regions and languages.
As a relatively uncommon surname, Zeisset carries a distinct historical and cultural heritage linked to the Alemannic German regions, capturing a piece of the life and vocations of its bearers through the ages.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeisset
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeisset, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeisset 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 Zeisset surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeisset
Zeisset 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
+13 bearers (+11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,308 places
2020
#145,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
-8 bearers (-6.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,308 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.8%) | Up 3,308 places |
| 2020 | #145,757 | 115 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.5%) | Down 9,308 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 Zeisset 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 | #136,449 | #145,757 | -6.8% |
| Count | 123 | 115 | -6.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeisset bearers went from 123 to 115 (-6.5% change). The surname moved down 9,308 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #145,757.
FAQ
Zeisset surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeisset?
Name Census estimates that about 132 living Americans carry the surname Zeisset. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,596,624 residents.
How common is Zeisset?
Zeisset ranks #145,757 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 115 people with the surname Zeisset. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (132), 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 Zeisset.
Has Zeisset become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeisset went from 123 recorded bearers to 115. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #145,757.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeisset?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeisset, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Zeisset in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.5% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeisset appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.5%), Hispanic (1.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). 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 Zeisset (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 Zeisset mean?
An anglicized form of a German surname derived from the term "Ziese" meaning a watercourse. 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 Zeisset (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 common is the surname Zeisset?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Zeisset is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.