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

Zeller, 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 Zeller surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeller in America

Zeller is the 3370th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeller surname appeared 10,595 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Zeller.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeller 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 Zeller

The surname Zeller is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "zelle," meaning "cell" or "chamber." It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century, likely referring to someone who lived in a small room or dwelling.

The name Zeller was initially associated with people residing in or near monastic cells or small living quarters. As a result, it was commonly found in areas with a strong monastic presence, such as Bavaria and other regions of southern Germany.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Codex Traditionum Monasterii Mellicensis, a 12th-century manuscript from the Melk Abbey in Austria, which mentions a person named "Zellarius" in the year 1156.

In the 14th century, records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Bavaria mention a family named Zeller. This suggests that the name had already become established as a surname by that time.

Notable individuals with the surname Zeller include:

1. Joachim Zeller (1520-1570), a German theologian and reformer who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

2. Christian Friedrich Zeller (1737-1801), a German architect and designer, known for his work on numerous churches and public buildings in the Duchy of Württemberg.

3. Eduard Zeller (1814-1908), a German philosopher and historian who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Greek philosophy.

4. Hans Zeller (1909-2003), a Swiss architect renowned for his modernist designs and his work on the reconstruction of Germany after World War II.

5. Wolfgang Zeller (born 1945), a German businessman and former CEO of the automotive company Continental AG.

The name Zeller was also associated with various place names throughout German-speaking regions, such as Zell (meaning "cell" or "small room"), Zellenberg, and Zellermühle. These place names reinforced the connection between the surname and its origins related to dwellings or monastic cells.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeller

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

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

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

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