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

Zeiter, 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 Zeiter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeiter in America

Zeiter is the 45189th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeiter surname appeared 474 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 Zeiter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeiter 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 Zeiter

The surname Zeiter has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, primarily found in Germany and Switzerland. It likely dates back to the Middle Ages, a time when surnames began to be used to distinguish individuals within small communities.

The name Zeiter possibly comes from the Old High German word "Zeiten," which means "times" or "occasions." This could imply a role or occupation related to time, such as a town crier or someone who announced or kept track of significant events. The surname might also have derived from a topographical feature, indicating a person who lived by a particular site of importance or landmark that was referred to as "die Zeit," meaning "the time" or "the age" in Old German.

Historical records do not provide a wealth of information about the surname Zeiter. However, early references can be found in local parish records and tax documents from the late 15th and early 16th centuries in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Germany. These early documents mention individuals like Hans Zeiter, a farmer noted in tax records from 1492, and Maria Zeiter, listed in church marriage registries from 1564.

Another notable example includes the entry for Georg Zeiter in a legal document from the city of Zurich, Switzerland, dated 1623, where Georg was involved in a civil suit concerning land disputes. This hints at the name's presence and establishment in Swiss territories.

During the 18th century, Johann Zeiter, born in 1734 and died in 1805, gained some renown as a composer and musician in the court of a minor Bavarian prince. His works, though not widely known today, were noted for their melodic charm and complexity, reflecting the cultural milieu of Southern Germany at the time.

In the 19th century, Friedrich Zeiter, a scientist born in 1801 and passing away in 1872, made significant contributions in the field of early organic chemistry. His research laid foundational work that would later support more complex chemical syntheses. Friedrich’s work was published in several German scientific journals, marking the presence of the Zeiter name in academia.

In the early 20th century, another individual of note, Karl Zeiter, born in 1885 and died in 1947, was a prominent industrialist in the Ruhr Valley. Karl played a crucial role in modernizing steel production techniques during the interwar years, significantly impacting the German economy and contributing to the industrial growth of the region.

The surname Zeiter, throughout history, has had its roots deeply embedded in the Germanic linguistic and cultural tradition. Its bearers have contributed to various fields such as agriculture, law, music, science, and industry, marking their presence in the historical tapestry of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeiter

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

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

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

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