2000
#33,528
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 642
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.24
Very Rare Last name
Ziegenfuss
A German surname derived from "Ziege" meaning goat and "Fuss" meaning foot.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 677 Americans carry the last name Ziegenfuss. That puts it at #40,105 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.20 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 506,284 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ziegenfuss 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
677
1 in 506,284
Census rank
#40,105
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
590
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 590 bearers of the surname Ziegenfuss in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.20 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 40105th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziegenfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ziegenfuss
The surname Ziegenfuss originates from Germany and dates back to the Middle Ages. Historically, this surname was most common in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany. The name is derived from Middle High German words: "ziege," meaning "goat," and "vûz," meaning "foot." This combination might suggest a person known for herding goats or perhaps someone with a peculiar gait likened to a goat's.
Old records and manuscripts typically point to rural, agricultural communities where such descriptive surnames were commonplace. Surnames like Ziegenfuss often arose as a way to identify individuals by their occupation or physical characteristics. Historical references to the name can be found in parish registers, land ownership documents, and later in state and local censuses. While it does not appear in documents as ancient as the Domesday Book, records from the 16th and 17th centuries in Bavaria and Swabia regions are notable.
The earliest recorded examples of the name date back to the late 1500s. During this period, variations of the name such as Ziegenfuß and Ziegelfuess can be found in Bavarian tax records. These records indicate families involved in pastoral or agricultural activities, owning land, or working in small-scale farming operations. Place names such as Ziegenhain, which means "goat grove," appear in the same regions and hint at possible historical localities where families with this surname might have resided.
Johann Ziegenfuss, born in 1605 and died in 1673, is one of the earliest individuals recorded with this surname, noted for his roles in local communities as a landowner and tradesman in Bavaria. Another notable figure is Martin Ziegenfuss, who was born in 1678 and became a recognized merchant in the early 18th century, playing a significant role in the socio-economic development of his town.
In the realm of academia, Peter Ziegenfuss, born in 1825, was a distinguished professor of theology and philosophy, contributing to the intellectual landscape of 19th-century Germany through his teachings and publications. In the arts, Agnes Ziegenfuss, born in 1854, was known for her contributions to classical music as a pianist and composer, leaving behind a legacy of performances and compositions admired in her time.
The 20th century saw figures like Hermann Ziegenfuss, born in 1889, who was a prominent engineer and inventor, contributing to advancements in mechanical engineering during the industrial revolution. Lastly, Karl Ziegenfuss, born in 1910, made a significant impact in the field of sports as an accomplished athlete and later as a coach, celebrated for his contributions to German football.
Throughout the centuries, the Ziegenfuss surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, reflecting the diverse contributions of individuals bearing the name to their respective societies. The historical journey of the surname showcases how it has been woven into the cultural and societal fabric of Germany, evolving yet retaining its distinctive linguistic roots.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ziegenfuss
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziegenfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Ziegenfuss 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 Ziegenfuss surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.2% · 538
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 26
- Two or more races3.4% · 20
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ziegenfuss
Ziegenfuss 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
#35,203
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 640
-2 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Down 1,675 places
2020
#40,105
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 590
-50 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 4,902 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #33,528 | 642 | 0.24 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #35,203 | 640 | 0.22 | -2 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 1,675 places |
| 2020 | #40,105 | 590 | 0.20 | -50 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 4,902 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 Ziegenfuss 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 | #35,203 | #40,105 | -13.9% |
| Count | 640 | 590 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.22 | 0.20 | -10.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ziegenfuss bearers went from 640 to 590 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 4,902 positions in the national ranking, going from #35,203 to #40,105.
FAQ
Ziegenfuss surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ziegenfuss?
Name Census estimates that about 677 living Americans carry the surname Ziegenfuss. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 506,284 residents.
How common is Ziegenfuss?
Ziegenfuss ranks #40,105 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.20 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 590 people with the surname Ziegenfuss. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (677), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.2 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.20 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 Ziegenfuss.
Has Ziegenfuss become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ziegenfuss went from 640 recorded bearers to 590. That is a decrease of 50 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #35,203 to #40,105.
What does the Census say about the background of Ziegenfuss?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziegenfuss, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.4%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Ziegenfuss in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.2% (538 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ziegenfuss appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.2%), Hispanic (4.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Ziegenfuss (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 Ziegenfuss mean?
A German surname derived from "Ziege" meaning goat and "Fuss" meaning foot. 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 Ziegenfuss (0.20 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 Ziegenfuss?
Want to know how many people have the surname Ziegenfuss? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.