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

Zern, 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 Zern surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zern in America

Zern is the 50771st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zern surname appeared 411 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 Zern.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zern 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 Zern

The surname Zern is believed to have its origins in Germany, with its earliest instances dating back to the medieval period, specifically around the 12th century. The name likely originated in the areas of Bavaria and Swabia, regions rich in agricultural land where historical records prominently feature the surname. The etymology of Zern is rooted in the Old High German word "Zëran," which means "to tear" or "to rend." This could have described a profession or a characteristic of an early bearer of the name, perhaps related to agriculture or animal husbandry.

Zern appears in various spellings in older records, including Cern and Zärn. These variants were common in the Middle Ages, influenced by regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling. Manuscripts from the 13th century, such as land registries and tax documents, often listed individuals with the surname Zern, suggesting a family well-established in local communities.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Zern is from a 13th-century Bavarian registry, where a Johann Zern is mentioned as a landowner in the region. This implies that the family held a certain status within their community. Another historical reference is found in a 14th-century Swabian tax record listing a Wilhelm Zern as a notable taxpayer, indicating the family's continued presence and influence in the region.

Famous individuals with the surname Zern include Philipp Zern, a 16th-century Bavarian merchant born in 1510 and known for his extensive trade networks across Germany and neighboring countries. Another is Jakob Zern, an important Swabian farmer and local leader born in 1625, who played a role in local governance during the tumultuous times of the Thirty Years' War.

The surname appears again in the 18th century with Friedrich Zern, born in 1754, a notable Lutheran minister who influenced religious thought in his community in Swabia. Moving into the 19th century, Carl Zern, an educator born in 1801, made significant contributions to the development of education systems in Bavaria, advocating for reforms that benefited public schooling.

Lastly, Heinrich Zern, born in 1820, was a pioneering figure in the burgeoning industrial sector in Germany. He was known for his innovations in manufacturing processes, which helped propel the region's industrial development. These historical figures highlight the diverse contributions of individuals bearing the surname Zern throughout history and across various fields of endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zern

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!