2000
#134,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zelno
A surname originating from the Polish word "ziele" meaning herb or greenery.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Zelno. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zelno 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Zelno in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelno, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zelno
The surname Zelno originates from Central Europe, particularly from the regions that are now part of modern-day Poland. It first appeared in historical records in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, a period marked by the dynamic political and social transformations in this part of Europe. The name is believed to have etymological roots in the Polish language, derived from the Old Polish word "zielony," which means "green." This connection suggests that the name may have been initially used to describe someone who lived near a significant green area or had connections to verdant land.
Early references to the surname are found in various regional documents and records. In medieval Poland, surnames were typically descriptive, occupational, or locational, and Zelno likely started as a locational surname. It may have denoted someone from a place characterized by lush greenery or bearing the same name. Variants of the name, such as Zielno or Zelnowski, can be seen in various historical manuscripts. For example, the 1423 land register includes a mention of a family named Zielno living in the Lesser Poland region, indicating the name's early regional spread.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Piotr Zelno, a minor nobleman who appeared in court records in 1451 for a land dispute in Kraków County. This suggests that the Zelno family had established some social standing by this time. Another notable figure, Stanisław Zelno, served as a scribe for the town of Lublin in the early 16th century, highlighting the family's continued presence and involvement in local affairs.
The 17th century saw Jan Zelno gaining prominence as a merchant in the thriving trade city of Gdańsk. His business dealings and extensive travel records are documented in a 1674 trade ledger, underscoring the name's prominence in urban commercial activities. Another historical figure, Katarzyna Zelno, was noted for her philanthropic activities in Poznań during the late 18th century. Her contributions to local hospitals and orphanages are mentioned in an 1792 charitable foundation record.
In the 19th century, Antoni Zelno became an influential figure in the early industrialization era of Poland, particularly in the textile industry. Born in 1807, he founded one of the first mechanized mills in Łódź and significantly contributed to the city’s development. His efforts are well-documented in an 1846 commerce report. The Zelno name continued to be associated with innovation and enterprise during this period.
Throughout history, the surname Zelno has been linked to various regions and professions, reflecting the dynamic social and economic changes of Central Europe. The historical journey of the name from its etymological roots to prominent figures illustrates its lasting legacy and enduring cultural significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zelno
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelno, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zelno 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 Zelno surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.1% · 105
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zelno
Zelno 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-7 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,415 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,187 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,037 | 116 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 16,415 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 1,187 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 Zelno 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 | #150,452 | #151,639 | -0.8% |
| Count | 109 | 107 | -1.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zelno bearers went from 109 to 107 (-1.8% change). The surname moved down 1,187 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #151,639.
FAQ
Zelno surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zelno?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Zelno. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Zelno?
Zelno ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Zelno. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Zelno.
Has Zelno become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zelno went from 109 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 2 (-1.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Zelno?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zelno, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (0.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Zelno in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.1% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zelno appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.1%), Hispanic (0.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Zelno (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 Zelno mean?
A surname originating from the Polish word "ziele" meaning herb or greenery. 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 Zelno (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 people share the surname Zelno?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.