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

Zieg, 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 Zieg surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zieg in America

Zieg is the 52267th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zieg surname appeared 397 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 Zieg.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zieg 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 Zieg

The surname Zieg has its origins in Germany, specifically in regions such as Bavaria and Saxony. The name is believed to have derived from the Middle High German word "ziegel," which means "brick" or "tile." This suggests that the surname may have originally been an occupational name for someone who made bricks or tiles, linking the bearer to the building trades of medieval Germany.

The name Zieg appears in historical records dating back to the 12th century. During this period, surnames were becoming more common as a means of identifying individuals beyond their given names. Early references to the name can be found in various records, including tax rolls, land deeds, and local manuscripts from this era. The surname underwent various spellings over time, with variations such as Ziegl, Ziegel, and Zigler appearing in different documents.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname is from the year 1180, when a Heinrich Zieg was mentioned in a tax record from the town of Augsburg. This indicates the name was already established in certain areas of Bavaria by the late 12th century. Another early mention is of Johannes Ziegel, a brickmaker in Nuremberg, whose activities were documented in a construction ledger from the early 1300s.

Historical figures with the surname Zieg include Conrad Zieg, a notable craftsman and guild member from Munich, born in 1452 and recorded in the Guild Register of 1490. His contributions to the construction of local buildings were well-documented. Another figure is Andreas Ziegler, a prominent legal scholar, who lived from 1475 to 1542 and authored several texts on medieval German law. His works were influential in shaping the legal landscape of the region.

In the 17th century, the name continued to be prominent in various regions of Germany. For instance, Wilhelm Zieg, a military officer born in 1610 in the town of Dresden, served under the Elector of Saxony during the Thirty Years' War. His service and subsequent mention in military dispatches highlight the family's continued presence and influence.

By the 18th century, the surname Zieg had spread to other parts of Europe, carried by individuals who migrated for economic opportunities or due to political upheavals. One such individual was Peter Zieg, an artisan born in 1701 in Hesse, who later moved to Austria. His work as a master tile-maker was recognized in various Viennese artisan guild records from the mid-1700s.

The surname Zieg has deep historical roots intertwined with the professions and trades of medieval and early modern Germany. Its presence in various historical documents over the centuries attests to the enduring legacy of those who bore the name, contributing to the cultural and economic fabric of their respective regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zieg

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!