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

Zey, 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 Zey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zey in America

Zey is the 85659th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zey surname appeared 218 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 Zey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zey 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 Zey

The surname Zey originates from Germany, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period, around the 13th century. It is believed to have emerged from regions such as Bavaria or Saxony, where Germanic tribes were predominant. The name Zey appears to be derived from an old German word "sei," which means "victory" or "triumph," suggesting possible origins related to attributes of strength or success.

Historical references to the surname Zey can be found in early church registries and land records. For instance, an old manuscript from the early 15th century in the town of Nuremberg mentions a Heinricus Zey, who was noted to be a landowner and trader. This indicates that the Zey family was established enough to participate in local commerce and property dealings during that time.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name is Johann Zey, who was born around 1398 and died in 1456. Johann was known to have been a loyal subject of the local duke and had served in various capacities, including a brief stint in the duke's advisory council, which hints at the social standing of the Zey family during the late medieval period.

In the mid-16th century, the name appeared in regional documents from Augsburg where a merchant named Andreas Zey, born 1532, was frequently mentioned. Andreas played a significant role in the local textile trade and was a prominent figure in the merchant guild, illustrating the family's continued involvement in commerce and trade.

During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), a soldier named Wilhelm Zey (born 1601, died 1643) was recorded as having fought for the Protestant forces. This association demonstrates the Zey family's participation in significant historical events and their alignment with broader religious and political movements of the era.

The name also surfaces in the annals of academic history with the contributions of Friedrich Zey, born in 1724 and died in 1791, who was a noted philosopher and author in Hamburg. Friedrich Zey's writings, which explored enlightenment ideas and progressive educational reforms, cemented the Zey name in the intellectual circles of the 18th century.

Another notable bearer is Magdalena Zey (born 1790, died 1853), who was one of the few women of her time to achieve recognition as a poet and essayist. Her works, often published under a pseudonym, discussed themes of social reform and women's rights, reflecting the evolving societal roles during the early 19th century.

The surname's journey through history paints a picture of a family name with deep roots in various aspects of society, from landownership and commerce to scholarly pursuits and military involvement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zey

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

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

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

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