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

Zeitlin, 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 Zeitlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeitlin in America

Zeitlin is the 29528th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeitlin surname appeared 799 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 Zeitlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeitlin 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 Zeitlin

The surname Zeitlin has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly within the Jewish communities of Poland and Russia. First emerging in historical records during the late Middle Ages, this surname is thought to derive from the word zayt, the Yiddish term for “time” or possibly an alteration of the German word zeit (meaning “time”). The suffix -lin is a diminutive or locative suffix, common in Germanic languages, suggesting "little time" or someone who is punctual or has a relation to a time-specific trade or event.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the surname can be traced back to the 17th century in Poland. Jewish historical records from the 18th century reference the name, often associated with rabbis and scholars. One such individual is Rabbi Aaron Zeitlin, born in 1730, who was an esteemed Talmudic scholar. The family name appeared in various community documents, such as birth registers, marriage contracts, and property deeds, suggesting the family was well-established and respected.

In the 19th century, Russia saw the name Zeitlin becoming more common, especially in urban centers with large Jewish populations. Mordechai Zeitlin, born in 1861, was a well-known figure. He was a writer and philosopher who contributed extensively to the Jewish intellectual movements in Russia. During this period, the surname appeared with slight variations in spelling due to transliterations and regional dialects, including Zeytlin and Tsaytlin.

In literature, the name was immortalized by the poet and playwright Hillel Zeitlin, born in 1871. Hillel was a prominent Yiddish and Hebrew language writer whose works advocated for a synthesis of Jewish mysticism with modernity. His famous texts, which include philosophical and religious essays, were crucial in Jewish thought and literature during the early 20th century.

Emigration patterns in the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw many with the surname Zeitlin moving to the United States and other parts of the world due to political unrest and pogroms. Notably, Aaron Zeitlin (1898-1973) became a significant cultural figure in the American Yiddish literary scene. Aaron, a poet and novelist, continued his family's rich tradition of intellectual and cultural contribution, and his works offered poignant reflections on Jewish identity and modern challenges.

In the arts, Paulina Zeitlin, born in 1920, was an influential painter and sculptor whose works gained recognition in European art circles. She extensively traveled and her art reflected a merging of Eastern European and Western modernist techniques. Her exhibitions throughout Europe helped keep the Zeitlin name prominent in cultural and creative domains.

The surname Zeitlin has a storied legacy that spans centuries and continents, deeply intertwined with Jewish intellectual, cultural, and religious life. While its origins are deeply historical, its continued presence today speaks to the enduring legacy of the families who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeitlin

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zeitlin, 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!