2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zerphey
An English surname derived from a Middle English variation of the French town name Sarpy.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Zerphey. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zerphey 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Zerphey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zerphey, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zerphey
The surname Zerphey traces its origins to Germany, particularly within the regions of Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate. The earliest mentions of names similar to Zerphey date back to medieval Europe, specifically around the 12th and 13th centuries. Early records often show variations in the spelling due to the lack of standardized language and the phonetic interpretations of scribes. Variations such as Zerffei and Zerpfey can be found in old manuscripts and legal documents.
The name Zerphey likely derives from a combination of older Germanic words. One possibility is that it originates from "zerf" meaning a sharp point or cleft, and "hey," potentially deriving from "Heyde" meaning a heath or pasture. Thus, the name could historically denote someone who lived near or was associated with a pointed heath or a notable land feature. Further etymological examination links the name to agrarian lifestyles common in medieval Germany, indicating that bearers of the name might have been involved in farming or land management.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a Bavarian document from 1255 referencing Johannes Zerfhei, a landowner whose holdings were substantial enough to warrant a written account. The name resurfaces in the Rhineland region during the late 14th century, with references to a Hermann Zerpfey in civic records around 1372. Hermann was a noted town elder in the city of Mainz, involved in local governance and infrastructure projects, indicating the prominence of the family.
During the 16th century, records from the town of Bamberg include an Elise Zerffey, born in 1551 and known for her involvement in local trade and commerce. Elise facilitated trade routes and merchant activities, suggesting that people bearing this surname were pivotal in economic development during this period.
Notably, the Zerphey surname appears in the annals of the Thirty Years' War, with a Captain Ludwig Zerphey (1589-1643) who served in the Hessian army. Ludwig's military service is documented in several military orders and campaigns during the protracted conflict across Central Europe, reflecting the family's shift from agrarian roots to martial engagements.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Friedrich Wilhelm Zerphey (born 1715) made significant contributions to early scientific methods in agriculture in Heidelberg. He published several treatises on crop rotation and soil management, indicating an ongoing legacy of land stewardship and intellectual curiosity among members of the Zerphey lineage.
The historical footprint of the Zerphey family provides a fascinating glimpse into their enduring legacy across various sectors such as governance, military, commerce, and scientific advancements. The surname's journey through history underscores the dynamic and multifaceted roles played by the individuals who bore it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zerphey
Among Census respondents with the surname Zerphey, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Zerphey 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 Zerphey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 102
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zerphey
Zerphey 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
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,695 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-7 bearers (-6.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 4,303 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,695 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.4%) | Down 4,303 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 Zerphey 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 | #154,755 | -2.9% |
| Count | 109 | 102 | -6.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zerphey bearers went from 109 to 102 (-6.4% change). The surname moved down 4,303 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,755.
FAQ
Zerphey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zerphey?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Zerphey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Zerphey?
Zerphey ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Zerphey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zerphey.
Has Zerphey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zerphey went from 109 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Zerphey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zerphey, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Zerphey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zerphey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Zerphey (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 Zerphey mean?
An English surname derived from a Middle English variation of the French town name Sarpy. 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 Zerphey (0.03 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 are called Zerphey?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Zerphey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.