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

Zentz, 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 Zentz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zentz in America

Zentz is the 22838th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zentz surname appeared 1,121 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 Zentz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zentz 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 Zentz

The surname Zentz has its origins in the regions of Germany and Alsace-Lorraine, an area that historically fluctuated between French and German control. The name dates back to the late medieval period, around the 14th and 15th centuries. It is believed to be derived from a diminutive or altered form of the given name Zentzel, which itself may be a pet form of the name Vicente (similar to Vincent in English).

Zentz is related to several Germanic words and names that point to a personal name origin. Most notably, the name could derive from the Middle High German word "zint," meaning "tooth," a possible nickname for someone with prominent teeth or a metaphorical name referring to someone's sharp wit. In other instances, it could be tied to the Old High German Saint Matthias, whose feast day is celebrated as Matthiasnacht, with Matthias possibly being shortened to Zentz in certain dialects.

In terms of historical references, the name Zentz appears in various ecclesiastical and civic records in the 16th and 17th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances is a Johann Zentz, who was documented in church registers in Straßburg (Strasbourg) in 1572. These early mentions highlight the movement and establishment of families bearing the name in regions contested by French and German influence.

Another noteworthy individual is Nicolaus Zentz, a clerical figure who lived from 1605 to 1678. Records from the University of Heidelberg reference him as a significant religious scholar of his time. The name is also found in legal documents from the 18th century, such as those concerning Georg Zentz, born in 1723, who was a landowner in the Lorraine region involved in local governance.

Attention to the name in the Americas begins with the 19th-century immigration waves. Christian Zentz, born in 1825, is an example of an immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century and established a successful farming enterprise. His family is noted among the early German-American communities that contributed to agricultural development in the area.

Lastly, notable in artistic circles was Albert Zentz, born in 1880, a German painter recognized for his landscape work in the early 20th century. His contributions were significant enough to be chronicled in several art history texts focused on German impressionism.

The surname Zentz carries a rich tapestry of history, reflective of the cultural intersections in Central Europe, particularly the Alsace-Lorraine region. From ecclesiastical roles to immigrant stories in the New World, the bearers of this name have left their mark across centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zentz

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

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

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

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