2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Zetzer
A surname derived from a variant of the German word "Zeitser," referring to a collector of tithes or taxes.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Zetzer. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zetzer 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Zetzer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zetzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zetzer
The surname Zetzer is believed to have its origins in Germany. The name likely emerged during the Late Middle Ages, around the 15th century. Areas where the name can be traced back to include the regions of Bavaria and Württemberg. It is derived from the German word "Zettel," which means a slip of paper or a note. The occupation associated with a Zetzer would have been tied to writing or clerical duties, indicating a person who either wrote or copied documents.
Historically, the name Zetzer appears in various records and manuscripts, though comprehensive documentation is sparse. The surname is mentioned in ecclesiastical records from the repositories of monasteries and churches in Southern Germany. One early example is Paulus Zetzer, a scribe from Ulm recorded in church registers around 1503.
Over time, variations in the spelling of the surname emerged, including Zeltzer and Zätzer, reflecting regional dialects and the phonetic evolution of the language. An early documented instance includes Hans Zetzer, a notable blacksmith in Augsburg during the late 16th century, who contributed to the town’s guild records in 1571.
Martin Zetzer, born in 1625, is another significant individual bearing the surname. He was a prominent figure in the Bavarian town of Passau, noted for his work as a town clerk. His descendants continued using the surname with slight variations, preserving family history through parish and civic records.
The surname also appears in historical military records. Johann Friedrich Zetzer (born 1763) was a distinguished officer in the Prussian army, recognized for his service during the Napoleonic Wars. His career is documented in military annals, showcasing the broader geographical spread of the surname by the late 18th century.
Jakob Zetzer, a merchant from Stuttgart born in 1817, expanded the family name into commercial enterprises. His involvement in trade significantly influenced regional markets, with business records and contracts bearing his name found in local archives.
In conclusion, the surname Zetzer has deep roots in German-speaking regions, connected to clerical and professional roles. Historical references, manifold within local archives and military records, illustrate the enduring legacy of the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zetzer
Among Census respondents with the surname Zetzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zetzer 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 Zetzer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.0% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino11.0% · 11
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
- Two or more races1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zetzer
Zetzer appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 5,293 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Up 5,293 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 Zetzer 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 | #160,975 | #155,682 | 3.3% |
| Count | 100 | 100 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 11.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zetzer bearers went from 100 to 100 (+0.0% change). The surname moved up 5,293 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #155,682.
FAQ
Zetzer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zetzer?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Zetzer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Zetzer?
Zetzer ranks #155,682 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 100 people with the surname Zetzer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), 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 Zetzer.
Has Zetzer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zetzer went from 100 recorded bearers to 100. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Zetzer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zetzer, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (11.0%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Zetzer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.0% (87 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zetzer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.0%), Hispanic (11.0%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). 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 Zetzer (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 Zetzer mean?
A surname derived from a variant of the German word "Zeitser," referring to a collector of tithes or taxes. 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 Zetzer (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 have the surname Zetzer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.