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

Zeltser, 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 Zeltser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zeltser in America

Zeltser is the 52970th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zeltser surname appeared 391 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 Zeltser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zeltser 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 Zeltser

The surname Zeltser originates from Eastern Europe, particularly within the regions encompassing modern-day Belarus, Poland, and Lithuania. The name appears to have Ashkenazi Jewish roots and likely dates back to the 17th or 18th centuries. The name Zeltser is believed to be derived from the Yiddish word zeltser, meaning "mineral spring" or "source," which itself may trace its origins to the German word Selter, referring to a place known for its mineral springs.

In historical references, one of the earliest appearances of the surname Zeltser can be found in Jewish community records from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. These records include various forms of the name, such as Selcer and Seltser, indicating the adaptability of spelling over time. During the 19th century, the Jewish population in these regions faced numerous socio-political changes, leading to the dispersal of families and, consequently, the spread of surnames like Zeltser across Europe and beyond.

One early recorded individual with the surname Zeltser was Mendel Zeltser, a merchant from Vilnius in the early 1800s. His business dealings were documented in local trade records, and he was known for his involvement in regional commerce. Another notable figure was Rabbi Shlomo Zeltser, born in 1823 and revered for his scholarly contributions to Jewish law and teachings in Lithuania. His works were periodically cited in rabbinical debates and studies of the era.

During the later 19th century, Morris Zeltser, born in 1868, emigrated to the United States amid the waves of Jewish migration due to persecution and economic hardship in Eastern Europe. Settling in New York City, he became a prominent figure in the Jewish-American community and contributed significantly to the establishment of various cultural and religious institutions.

In the early 20th century, Chaim Zeltser, born in 1901, gained recognition as a political activist and writer in Poland. His works highlighted the struggles and aspirations of Jewish communities in a turbulent pre-World War II Europe. Despite facing severe persecution, Chaim's legacy continued through his influential writings and the preservation of his work by subsequent generations.

Another notable individual bearing the surname was Ida Zeltser, born in 1910 in Ukraine. She survived the harrowing experiences of World War II and the Holocaust, later becoming an essential voice in Holocaust education. Her memoirs and testimonies provided invaluable insights into the experiences of Jewish communities during the war.

These individuals, spanning different eras and regions, exemplify the rich and complex history associated with the surname Zeltser. The name continues to carry historical significance, reflecting the resilience and contributions of the people who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zeltser

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

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

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

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