2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zeugin
A German surname derived from the word "Zeuge" meaning witness or eyewitness.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Zeugin. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zeugin 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Zeugin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeugin, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zeugin
The surname Zeugin originates from Switzerland, specifically within the German-speaking regions. Dating back to the medieval period, the name is believed to have first appeared in the late 13th century. It is a toponymic surname, derived from a location or geographical feature, typically indicating a family’s place of origin or residence.
Zeugin is associated with the Middle High German word "zeug," which refers to a tool or equipment. Given the suffix "in" often added to form surnames for women or as a diminutive in various dialects, the name suggests a historical link to craft or trade, possibly indicating a family's expertise or involvement with tools or equipment.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname Zeugin appears in 1318 in the canton of Bern, specifically within local tax records mentioning a Johannes Zeugin. This signifies the name had early roots in Swiss society and was integrated into significant local documentation.
Throughout history, several notable individuals bore the surname Zeugin. Hans Zeugin, born in 1435 and died in 1492, was a prominent merchant known for trading goods between Bern and Zurich. Another notable figure was Maria Zeugin, who lived during the late 16th century and was recorded in church documents in Geneva for her charitable works. Jakob Zeugin, born in 1602, was a noted scholar whose works on astronomy were critical in the evolution of scientific thought in Switzerland.
In the 18th century, Anna Zeugin, born in 1724, became known for her extensive correspondence with various intellectuals across Europe, leaving behind a collection of letters that provide insights into the intellectual currents of her time. Matthias Zeugin, born in 1798 and died in 1863, further distinguished himself as a political figure in Basel, advocating for educational reforms and civic rights.
The surname Zeugin reflects a nuanced history embedded in Swiss culture, with roots tracing back to the medieval period, associated with craftsmanship, trade, and intellectual pursuits. Over the centuries, individuals bearing the name contributed significantly to their respective fields, leaving a legacy documented in historical records and manuscripts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zeugin
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeugin, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zeugin 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 Zeugin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 99
- Two or more races4.8% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zeugin
Zeugin appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+7 bearers (+6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 2,345 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-8 bearers (-7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 6,337 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.7%) | Down 2,345 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -8 bearers (-7.1%) | Down 6,337 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 Zeugin 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 | #147,253 | #153,590 | -4.3% |
| Count | 112 | 104 | -7.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zeugin bearers went from 112 to 104 (-7.1% change). The surname moved down 6,337 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #153,590.
FAQ
Zeugin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zeugin?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Zeugin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Zeugin?
Zeugin ranks #153,590 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 104 people with the surname Zeugin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), 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 Zeugin.
Has Zeugin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zeugin went from 112 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 8 (-7.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Zeugin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zeugin, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Zeugin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zeugin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Two or More Races (4.8%). 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 Zeugin (2000, 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 Zeugin mean?
A German surname derived from the word "Zeuge" meaning witness or eyewitness. 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 Zeugin (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 share the surname Zeugin?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.