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

Zettler, 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 Zettler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zettler in America

Zettler is the 31790th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zettler surname appeared 726 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 Zettler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zettler 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 Zettler

The surname Zettler is of German origin, and it dates back to the medieval period. It is primarily found in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name is derived from the Middle High German word zett(e), which means "a strip of land" or "a small piece of land." The suffix -ler is a common German occupational or habitational suffix, indicating affiliation or activity associated with a place or occupation.

Early references to the name Zettler can be traced back to various historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. Heinrich Zettler was recorded in a document from 1301 in the city of Nürnberg. Another early record features a Hans Zettler in Freiburg im Breisgau in 1355, highlighting the presence of the name in the southwestern part of modern-day Germany.

The Zettler surname appears in medieval tax and land records, known as Urbare, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. For example, a certain Konrad Zettler was mentioned in the lands of Bavaria in 1417 as holding a small strip of farmland, consistent with the etymology of the name.

During the Renaissance period, one notable bearer of the surname was Georg Zettler, born in 1538 in Ulm and known for his contributions to early cartography and surveying within the Holy Roman Empire. Zettler’s work in land measuring helped in the drafting of more accurate maps of the territories of the Empire.

Moving into the modern era, the Zettler name is prominently associated with Johannes Zettler, born in 1799, who was a renowned landscape painter in southern Germany. His detailed depiction of the Bavarian countryside provides a historical glimpse into the region's agrarian society during the early 19th century.

Another significant figure is Gustav Zettler, an industrialist born in 1852 who played a pivotal role in advancing agricultural machinery manufacturing in Baden-Württemberg. Zettler's factories pioneered innovations that contributed significantly to the agricultural productivity of the region during the later half of the 19th century.

In summary, the surname Zettler has deep roots in German history, originally describing individuals associated with small landholdings. It has been documented since the early medieval period and has continued to be borne by notable individuals who have contributed to the arts and industry in Germany, ensuring its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zettler

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

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

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

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