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

Zett, 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 Zett surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zett in America

Zett is the 113791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zett surname appeared 154 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 Zett.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zett 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 Zett

The surname Zett has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe. Historical evidence suggests that the name appeared as early as the late medieval period, specifically in the regions that now comprise modern Germany and Austria. Zett is presumably derived from the Middle High German word "zetel" or "zettel," which means note, list, or piece of paper. This term was used to refer to someone who might have been a scribe or involved in the recording of information.

One of the earliest mentions of the surname Zett can be found in the records of the city of Augsburg, a significant medieval German city known for its commerce and textiles, dating back to the 14th century. The name appears in various official documents including tax records and guild memberships, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were established members of society.

An early historical reference to the surname appears in the Register of the City of Nuremberg, where a Johann Zett is listed as a member of the local guild of scribes in the year 1453. This record implies that those with the surname were literate and held occupations involving writing or record-keeping, which were respected professions during this time.

A notable figure with the surname Zett is Nicolaus Zett, born in 1489 and died in 1557, an accomplished scholar and mathematician from Vienna. His contributions to the early studies of algebra and geometry were significant, and he served as a professor at the University of Vienna, which was an important center of learning in the Renaissance period.

In the 17th century, Ulrich Zett, an artisan and instrument maker from Leipzig, made a name for himself through his craftsmanship. Born in 1602 and died in 1674, Ulrich created various scientific instruments used for navigation and astronomy, which were critical during the age of exploration.

During the Enlightenment period, another distinguished bearer of the surname was Franz Zett, a prominent lawyer and legal scholar born in 1711 and died in 1788. Hailing from the town of Regensburg, he authored several influential legal texts that were widely referenced in legal education and practices across German-speaking Europe.

In the late 18th century, the name appears again with Heinrich Zett, an artist and engraver born in 1765 and died in 1821. Known for his intricate etchings and prints, Heinrich was a significant figure in the German art scene of his time, with his works remaining part of many museum collections today.

The surname Zett, through its historical associations with scholarly, professional, and artistic pursuits, reflects the varied contributions of its bearers to European society over several centuries. This lineage underscores the diverse roles individuals with this name played in the cultural and intellectual history of the German-speaking regions of Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zett

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zett, 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!