2000
#118,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 135
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zellweger
A German occupational surname meaning "cellar worker" or referring to someone who worked with cellars.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 159 Americans carry the last name Zellweger. That puts it at #128,411 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,155,688 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zellweger 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
159
1 in 2,155,688
Census rank
#128,411
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
139
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 139 bearers of the surname Zellweger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 128411th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zellweger, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zellweger
The surname Zellweger has its origins in Switzerland, specifically in the region known as Appenzell. The name likely originated during the late medieval period, around the 14th to 15th centuries. It is derived from the combination of elements "Zell," meaning a cell or a small monastery, and "Weger," which refers to a traveler or someone who lived by a path or road. This suggests that the original bearers of the name might have been people living near a monastic cell or those associated with such a location.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Zellweger comes from the Appenzell region’s historical records. The name appears in various forms, including Zelligwäger and Zelliger, reflecting the orthographic variations common in medieval documents. The variations indicate the fluidity of spelling conventions before the standardization of written language.
Among the notable early bearers of the surname was Bartholomäus Zellweger (1654-1732), who was a significant figure in Appenzell. His contributions to local politics and his involvement in the administration of the canton are well-documented. The Zellweger family, in general, held various influential positions in Appenzell society, contributing to the region’s governance and economy.
Another prominent figure was Johann Conrad Zellweger (1825-1891), a historian and politician from Trogen, located in the Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Johann Conrad was instrumental in documenting the history of his region and contributed to the preservation of Swiss cultural heritage. His works remain a valuable resource for understanding the development of the Appenzell region.
Jakob Zellweger (1796-1856) was a notable industrialist from the same area. He was a key player in the textile industry, which was a significant economic activity in Appenzell during the 19th century. Jakob’s enterprises provided numerous jobs and contributed to the prosperity of the region. His legacy in Swiss industrial history underscores the economic impact of the Zellweger family.
Paul Zellweger (1858-1943), a descendent of this line, continued the family tradition of influence and accomplishment. He was an acclaimed medical researcher known for his studies in pathology. Paul Zellweger’s contributions to the medical field extended beyond Switzerland, earning him recognition in various scientific communities across Europe.
René Zellweger (1949-2012) further highlights the diversity of the Zellweger family’s influence. He was an economist and diplomat, and his career involved significant roles within Swiss diplomatic circles, contributing to international economic policy and fostering Switzerland’s relationships with other nations.
The surname Zellweger, with its deep roots in the Appenzell region of Switzerland, carries a rich history marked by significant contributions to politics, industry, academia, and diplomacy. The legacy of the Zellweger family exemplifies the lasting impact that a name can have across various facets of society and history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zellweger
Among Census respondents with the surname Zellweger, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zellweger 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 Zellweger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.3% · 138
- Hispanic or Latino0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zellweger
Zellweger 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
#118,853
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 146
+11 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 101 places
2020
#128,411
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 139
-7 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 9,558 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,954 | 135 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #118,853 | 146 | 0.05 | +11 bearers (+8.1%) | Up 101 places |
| 2020 | #128,411 | 139 | 0.05 | -7 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 9,558 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 Zellweger 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 | #118,853 | #128,411 | -8.0% |
| Count | 146 | 139 | -4.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zellweger bearers went from 146 to 139 (-4.8% change). The surname moved down 9,558 positions in the national ranking, going from #118,853 to #128,411.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zellweger
FAQ
Zellweger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zellweger?
Name Census estimates that about 159 living Americans carry the surname Zellweger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,155,688 residents.
How common is Zellweger?
Zellweger ranks #128,411 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 139 people with the surname Zellweger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (159), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zellweger.
Has Zellweger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zellweger went from 146 recorded bearers to 139. That is a decrease of 7 (-4.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #118,853 to #128,411.
What does the Census say about the background of Zellweger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zellweger, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Zellweger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.3% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zellweger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.3%), Hispanic (0.7%). 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 Zellweger (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 Zellweger mean?
A German occupational surname meaning "cellar worker" or referring to someone who worked with cellars. 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 Zellweger (0.05 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 people have the last name Zellweger?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Zellweger is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.