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

Zerwas, 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 Zerwas surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zerwas in America

Zerwas is the 66754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zerwas surname appeared 296 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 Zerwas.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zerwas 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 Zerwas

The surname Zerwas has its roots in central Europe, particularly in the region that is now modern-day Germany. The name is believed to have originated in the Rhineland area during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. During this time, surnames were beginning to solidify, often based on occupations, geographical locations, or personal characteristics.

The name Zerwas may derive from the Germanic words "zer," meaning "to destroy or to reduce," and "was," which could relate to "stream" or "water." Combining these elements, the name might originally have described a person living near or responsible for managing waterways, potentially prone to flooding, or involved in clearing lands by redirecting or reducing water flow.

Historical records suggest the name Zerwas appeared in a medieval manuscript dating back to 1387, where a Johann Zerwas was mentioned as a landowner in the Rhineland. This early instance provides insight into the spread and establishment of the surname in this specific region.

In the 15th century, the Zerwas family name appears again, notably in a register of the Hanseatic League, an influential commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. A merchant named Heinrich Zerwas from Cologne is listed as a member in 1451, indicating that individuals carrying this surname were actively involved in regional trade and commerce.

One of the most notable individuals bearing the surname Zerwas in the 16th century was Wilhelm Zerwas, a respected scholar in Mainz who authored several works on law and theology. Born in 1512 and dying in 1587, Wilhelm's contributions left a lasting legacy in the academic circles of his time.

In the 18th century, records show a certain Ludwig Zerwas (1720-1790), an influential artisan in Frankfurt, whose craftsmanship in metalwork was well-regarded. His works were sought after by local nobility, evidencing the surname's association with skilled trades and artisanship.

During the early 19th century, the name Zerwas emigrated beyond Germany, often due to political and economic factors of the time. One such emigrant, Friedrich Zerwas, born in 1803, settled in the United States around 1833 and became a notable figure in the budding German-American communities, contributing to the cultural and social structures in his new homeland.

No discussion of the Zerwas name would be complete without mentioning Karl Zerwas, born in 1857, who served as a prominent political figure in the Rhineland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His work largely centered around advocating for worker's rights and involvement in the nascent social democratic movement of Germany.

In summary, the surname Zerwas has a rich history that began in medieval Germany's Rhineland, evolved through various social and economic roles, and eventually spread beyond its original geographical confines. The individuals bearing this surname spanned a range of professions and made notable contributions to their respective fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zerwas

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

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

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

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