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

Zerbe, 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 Zerbe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zerbe in America

Zerbe is the 12884th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zerbe surname appeared 2,388 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Zerbe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zerbe 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 Zerbe

The surname Zerbe has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the German word "Zerbe," which means "small portion" or "share." It is believed that the name was originally given to individuals who were responsible for distributing or allocating resources, such as land or food, within a community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Zerbe surname can be found in the town of Wittenberg, in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1569, a document mentions a certain Hans Zerbe, who was a landowner and a respected member of the local community.

In the 17th century, the Zerbe name began to spread across various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate. During this period, several notable individuals bearing the Zerbe surname emerged. For instance, Johann Zerbe (1589-1644) was a prominent theologian and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

As the Zerbe family grew and expanded, some members began to migrate to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. One of the earliest recorded instances of the Zerbe name in the United States can be found in the records of Pennsylvania, where a family of Zerbes settled in the late 18th century.

Throughout history, several individuals with the Zerbe surname have achieved notable accomplishments. Heinrich Zerbe (1832-1908) was a German-American landscape painter known for his depictions of the American West. Another notable figure was Karl Zerbe (1903-1972), a German-American artist and illustrator who contributed illustrations to various publications, including The Saturday Evening Post.

Other prominent individuals with the Zerbe surname include Alfred Zerbe (1888-1949), a German actor and film director; Otto Zerbe (1892-1965), a German politician and member of the Nazi Party; and Erwin Zerbe (1906-1988), a German chess player and journalist who was recognized as a International Master by the World Chess Federation.

While the Zerbe surname may not be as widespread as some other German names, it has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including artists, politicians, religious figures, and landowners. The name's origins can be traced back to the 16th century in Germany, where it was associated with the distribution and allocation of resources within communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zerbe

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

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

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

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