2000
#69,428
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 264
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Zewe
A surname of Slavic origin meaning "wolf" or "wolf-like".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 276 Americans carry the last name Zewe. That puts it at #83,936 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,241,864 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zewe 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
276
1 in 1,241,864
Census rank
#83,936
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
241
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 241 bearers of the surname Zewe in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 83936th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zewe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.2%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zewe
The surname Zewe is of German origin, stemming from the country of Germany and specifically the regions of Rhineland and Saarland. Its usage can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, around the 12th century. The name appears to be derived from the medieval German word "zewen" or "zeuwen," which means "twin" or "double." This etymology suggests that the name might have originally been used to denote a family with twins or someone who had a twin.
One of the earliest references to the surname Zewe can be found in old German municipal records and church registers from the 13th century. For instance, a Wilhelm Zewe is mentioned in a document from 1256 in the context of land transactions in the Rhineland region. This suggests that the name was already established and recognized among the local populace by that time.
In the 14th century, the surname Zewe appears again in tax records and feudal directories. Johannes Zewe, a notable landowner, was recorded in a 1372 tax document in Saarland. His family was known to have vast vineyards, emphasizing the name's association with land and property during this period.
The 16th century sees another prominent bearer of the surname, Heinrich Zewe, who served as a councilman in the town of Trier. Born in 1503 and dying in 1571, Heinrich played a significant role in local politics and was involved in the administration of town affairs. His presence in historical records and municipal documents highlights the increasing prominence of the Zewe family in societal roles.
During the 18th century, the name appears in various immigration records, as members of the Zewe family migrated to other parts of Europe and America. One notable figure is Friedrich Zewe, born in 1725. He migrated to Pennsylvania in 1750 and became a well-respected figure in his community as a skilled carpenter and farmer, contributing significantly to the development of early American settlements.
Another influential person with the surname Zewe is Elisabeth Zewe, who lived from 1801 to 1868. She was known for her philanthropic efforts in Saarland, particularly her contributions to local schools and orphanages. Elisabeth's charitable work had a lasting impact on her community and cemented the Zewe name's reputation for social responsibility and generosity.
Throughout history, the surname Zewe has maintained its presence across various parts of Europe and beyond, with each generation contributing to the name's legacy through various roles in society, from landowners to immigrants, and philanthropists. The family name's origins in the medieval German term for "twin" adds a unique aspect to its history, indicating a potential link to familial characteristics from centuries past.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zewe
Among Census respondents with the surname Zewe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.2%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zewe 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 Zewe surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.7% · 233
- Two or more races1.2% · 3
- Black or African American0.8% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zewe
Zewe 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
#82,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 229
-35 bearers (-13.3%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 12,889 places
2020
#83,936
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 241
+12 bearers (+5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 1,619 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #69,428 | 264 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #82,317 | 229 | 0.08 | -35 bearers (-13.3%) | Down 12,889 places |
| 2020 | #83,936 | 241 | 0.08 | +12 bearers (+5.2%) | Down 1,619 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 Zewe 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 | #82,317 | #83,936 | -2.0% |
| Count | 229 | 241 | 5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | 0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zewe bearers went from 229 to 241 (+5.2% change). The surname moved down 1,619 positions in the national ranking, going from #82,317 to #83,936.
FAQ
Zewe surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zewe?
Name Census estimates that about 276 living Americans carry the surname Zewe. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,241,864 residents.
How common is Zewe?
Zewe ranks #83,936 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 241 people with the surname Zewe. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (276), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Zewe.
Has Zewe become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zewe went from 229 recorded bearers to 241. That is an increase of 12 (+5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #82,317 to #83,936.
What does the Census say about the background of Zewe?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zewe, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.2%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Zewe in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.7% (233 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zewe appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.7%), Two or More Races (1.2%), Black (0.8%). 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 Zewe (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 Zewe mean?
A surname of Slavic origin meaning "wolf" or "wolf-like". 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 Zewe (0.08 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 last name Zewe?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Zewe on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.