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

Zieff, 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 Zieff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zieff in America

Zieff is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zieff surname appeared 101 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 Zieff.

The history of the last name Zieff

The surname Zieff is thought to have its roots in Eastern Europe, most likely originating from regions that are now part of modern-day Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus. It is believed to be of Jewish Ashkenazi origin, linking it to the Jewish communities that lived in the aforementioned areas around the 16th century. The name might be derived from an old Yiddish or German name or word, as many Jewish surnames were influenced by Germanic languages.

The exact etymology of the surname Zieff is somewhat obscure, but it could be related to occupations or characteristics. One theory posits that it might derive from an old German word "ziefen," which means "to cleanse" or "to refine," possibly indicating an occupation such as a metalworker or a refiner. Alternatively, it could be a variation of the Yiddish word "tsif," which means "count" or "number," pointing to an occupation associated with bookkeeping or accounting.

In historical records, earlier variants of the name can be found. For example, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Jewish vital records from Eastern Europe list names like Zief, Ziefe, and Zeif, showing a degree of phonetic variation common in that era. The first recorded instance of a person with the surname Zieff can be traced back to an 18th-century Jewish community ledger in Krakow, Poland, where a Samuel Zief was noted as a prominent community member and trader in 1782.

One historically notable person with the surname Zieff is Marvin Ziegler Zieff, an American physicist born in 1924 and known for his contributions to particle physics until his death in 1999. Another prominent figure is Howard Zieff, an American director and advertising prolific, who was born in 1927 and died in 2009. His films and commercials left a lasting impact on American culture and he is remembered for his quirky, creative style.

In the mid-19th century, a Rabbi Mordechai Zieff became a well-known spiritual leader in Vilnius, Lithuania. His sermons and religious contributions are still cited in various Jewish theological studies. Born in 1823 and passing away in 1885, he left a profound legacy in religious scholarship.

A fourth notable individual is Rebecca Zieff, a 19th-century poet and writer from Warsaw, Poland. Born in 1855, she made her mark with a collection of poems published in the Yiddish language, highlighting themes of Jewish life and identity. She continued to be a literary voice until her death in 1910.

Lastly, another significant figure is Dr. Hermann Zieff, a 20th-century German physician, born in 1889, who escaped the horrors of the Holocaust and later contributed significantly to medical research in America. He passed away in 1972, leaving behind a substantial body of work in the study of infectious diseases.

The surname Zieff, owing to its varied spellings and historical occurrences, speaks to a rich backdrop of cultural, occupational, and geographical significance tightly interwoven with the Jewish diaspora in Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zieff

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

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 Zieff 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.

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

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

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