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

Zetts, 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 Zetts surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zetts in America

Zetts is the 67747th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zetts surname appeared 291 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 Zetts.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zetts 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 Zetts

The surname Zetts is believed to have originated in Central Europe, particularly within the regions that are now modern-day Germany and Austria. The time period of its earliest appearances likely dates back to the late medieval era, although the precise century remains uncertain due to the scarcity of early records. The name is most probably of Germanic origin and might derive from the Middle High German word "setze," meaning "to place" or "to set," indicative of either an occupation or a characteristic attributed to the bearers of the name.

Records of the name Zetts in historic manuscripts are limited, but there are indications that it was mentioned in church and civic records from the 14th and 15th centuries within German-speaking territories. Given the fluctuating boundaries and shifting governance in these areas, the name could have had various spellings over time, such as Zets, Zetz, or Zettz, reflecting the phonetics and orthographic conventions of the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Zetts is Hans Zetts, a tradesman documented in the Lübeck city records in 1423. His business dealings and family details provide some of the first concrete evidence of the name's use. Another notable person is Johan Zetts, a member of a merchant guild in Nuremberg during the early 16th century who was actively involved in trade between German principalities.

In the 17th century, the name Zetts appears in the context of the Thirty Years' War, with Conrad Zetts serving as a soldier in the Hessian army. His service records from 1634 detail his role in various military engagements across Central Europe. Moving forward into the 18th century, Friedrich Zetts, born in 1710, became a significant figure in the intellectual circles of Berlin, contributing scholarly works on local dialects and cultural practices.

Another noteworthy individual from the 19th century is Ludwig Zetts, an artisan in Vienna known for his craftsmanship in metalwork. Born in 1798, Ludwig's creations were well-regarded and featured in several exhibitions across the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Finally, Marie Zetts, born in 1865, was a pioneering educator and social reformer in Bavaria. Her efforts in promoting women's education and welfare are well-documented, making her a prominent social figure of her time.

Through these historical references, the surname Zetts illustrates its deep-rooted presence in Germanic-speaking regions, with bearers of the name contributing to various facets of society across multiple centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zetts

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

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

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

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