2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zeit
A German surname meaning "time."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Zeit. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeit 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Zeit in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeit, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeit
The surname Zeit is of German origin, emerging predominantly from regions that are now part of modern-day Germany during the medieval period. The word "Zeit" itself translates to "time" in German, and surnames often derived from everyday words, occupations, or locations. It is plausible that the surname developed as a nickname, perhaps indicative of someone who was punctual, or who emphasized the importance of time.
Historical references to the surname Zeit can be relatively sparse, but there are records of similar spellings in medieval German texts and documents. The form "Zythe" or "Ziet" can be seen in various manuscripts from the 12th to 14th centuries. These records often detailed land ownership, taxes, or legal matters, showing the integration of the name into the bureaucratic and social structures of the time.
One early recorded example of the surname Zeit appears in a Bavarian tax register from the late 13th century, where a man named Hans Zeit was noted to own a modest plot of land. This indicates that the surname was used in official records as early as the 1200s in southern Germany. The spelling and appearance of the name in such documents highlight its longevity and usage across centuries.
Throughout history, individuals bearing the surname Zeit have made their marks in various fields. For instance, Wilhelm Zeit, born in 1494 and noted in archival documents as a master craftsman in Nürnberg, contributed significantly to the local guild. Another notable figure is Johann Friedrich Zeit (1762-1838), a German mathematician whose publications are still referenced in academic circles.
The surname also appears in literary works of the 18th century. Barbara Zeit, a poet born in 1735, published several collections of poetry that were well-received for their emotional depth and reflective quality. These historical instances show the diverse ways in which people with the surname Zeit contributed to their communities and fields of expertise.
In addition to these figures, the 19th century brought forth Heinrich Zeit, born in 1825, known for his explorations in what is now Austria. His detailed journals offer insights into the geographical and cultural landscapes of the time, underscoring the surname's association with knowledge and discovery.
Finally, Margaret Zeit (1897-1957), an influential voice in early 20th-century German literature, remains a celebrated figure in feminist literary circles. Her novels and essays, focusing on women's rights and societal expectations, continue to be studied and appreciated for their progressive views.
The surname Zeit, with its roots deeply embedded in the German language and medieval history, has a rich heritage illustrated through documents and lives spanning several centuries. It serves as a testament to the enduring nature of surnames and their connection to cultural and historical identity.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeit
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeit, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeit 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 Zeit surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.7% · 112
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeit
Zeit 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
+13 bearers (+11.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,504 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-13 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,660 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+11.1%) | Up 2,504 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 13,660 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 Zeit 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 | #130,610 | #144,270 | -10.5% |
| Count | 130 | 117 | -10.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeit bearers went from 130 to 117 (-10.0% change). The surname moved down 13,660 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #144,270.
FAQ
Zeit surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeit?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Zeit. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Zeit?
Zeit ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Zeit. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Zeit.
Has Zeit become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeit went from 130 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeit?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeit, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.7%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (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 Zeit in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.7% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeit appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Two or More Races (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 Zeit (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 Zeit mean?
A German surname meaning "time." 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 Zeit (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 Zeit?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.