2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zeiszler
A German surname derived from the occupation of a maker or seller of sickles or scythes.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Zeiszler. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeiszler 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Zeiszler in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeiszler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeiszler
Zeiszler is a surname with roots predominantly in Central Europe, specifically originating from the German-speaking regions. The name first appeared during the late medieval period, around the 14th to 15th centuries. This was a time when surnames were becoming hereditary and more common due to the rising need for more precise identification as populations grew.
The surname Zeiszler is believed to be locational or toponymic, meaning it derived from the name of a place where the original bearers of the surname resided or came from. It is thought to have connections with the region known as Silesia, an area that straddles modern-day Poland and Germany. In this region, places with variations of the name Zeisz were common. Locational surnames were often modified with a suffix to indicate origin, which could explain the "ler" ending, a common Germanic suffix used to imply “one from” or “inhabitant of.”
Etymologically, the root "Zeisz" or "Zeiss" could be linked to the Old High German word "zeiz," meaning a type of bird or a nickname relating to a person known for certain attributes reminiscent of a bird. Another possibility is that it relates to "Zeis," which could mean "ore" or "satellite," suggesting a location near a mining area or a locality known for earthworks.
The name Zeiszler can be found in various historical documents and records. In the late 16th century, one of the earliest known references appears in tax registers and parish records in Silesia. A notable record from 1598 mentions a Heinrich Zeiszler, a blacksmith, indicating that the name was already established in professional circles.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname was Christoph Zeiszler, born in 1625 and a noted Protestant pastor in the region of Upper Silesia. His work during the turbulent period of the Thirty Years' War was well-documented in church annals.
In the 18th century, Johann Zeiszler (1693-1762) emerged as a prominent figure, known for his contributions to the local governance in a small but strategically significant town near Breslau, now Wrocław. His administrative work is noted in various municipal records of the time.
The 19th century saw another Zeiszler, Anna Marie Zeiszler (1828-1894), gaining recognition as a writer and poet. Her works, often reflecting the daily life and struggles of the Silesian people, found a place in various local publications and remain a subject of study in regional literature.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Franz Zeiszler (1867-1933), a mechanical engineer, made notable contributions to the burgeoning fields of industrial engineering and mechanics. His innovations and patents are recorded in several German technical journals, marking significant advancements in machinery design.
In more recent historical records, Karl Zeiszler (1899-1975), a military officer, served with distinction during World War I and later became a prominent figure in post-war rebuilding efforts within his community. His dedication to public service was recognized in various post-war civic records and memorials.
Thus, the surname Zeiszler traces a rich and varied history deeply intertwined with the regions of Central Europe, particularly the areas within and around historical Silesia.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeiszler
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeiszler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeiszler 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 Zeiszler surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 101
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 6
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeiszler
Zeiszler appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,412 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 1,412 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 Zeiszler 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 | #147,253 | #148,665 | -1.0% |
| Count | 112 | 111 | -0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeiszler bearers went from 112 to 111 (-0.9% change). The surname moved down 1,412 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #148,665.
FAQ
Zeiszler surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeiszler?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Zeiszler. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Zeiszler?
Zeiszler ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Zeiszler. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Zeiszler.
Has Zeiszler become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeiszler went from 112 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 1 (-0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeiszler?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeiszler, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.4%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Zeiszler in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeiszler appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Hispanic (5.4%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Zeiszler (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 Zeiszler mean?
A German surname derived from the occupation of a maker or seller of sickles or scythes. 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 Zeiszler (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 Americans have the surname Zeiszler?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.