2000
#36,129
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 586
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.22
Very Rare Last name
Ziesmer
A German surname derived from the word "Ziesemer" which refers to a small river or stream.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 748 Americans carry the last name Ziesmer. That puts it at #36,847 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.22 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 458,228 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Ziesmer 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
748
1 in 458,228
Census rank
#36,847
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
652
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 652 bearers of the surname Ziesmer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.22 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 36847th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Ziesmer
The surname Ziesmer originates from Germany, specifically from the northern and eastern regions such as Brandenburg and Pomerania. The name dates back to the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century, a period when surnames began to be adopted across Europe. The surname is of Germanic origin and is derived from an old personal name possibly related to the Middle High German word "zuosmecker," which translates to gourmet or connoisseur, suggesting that the first bearers of the name might have had a connection to food or taste, or were known for their refined palates.
Historical records indicate the presence of the surname Ziesmer as early as the 16th century in regional documents of northern Germany. In parish records, census rolls, and legal documents of that era, variations of the surname can be found, including Zismair, Zismir, and Zysmer, showing the evolution of the name's spelling over time. These documents trace the movements and livelihoods of families bearing this name, often involved in agriculture, crafts, and trade.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Ziesmer was Johann Ziesmer, born circa 1580, in the Pomeranian region. Johann's name appears in tax records and property transactions, indicating his status as a landowner and farmer. Another early bearer is Andreas Ziesmer, mentioned in church records from the mid-17th century in Brandenburg, suggesting a prominent role within the local community.
In the 18th century, the name Ziesmer appears more frequently in official documents. For instance, Ludwig Ziesmer, born in 1701, served as a local official in a small town near the Oder River, contributing to the administrative framework of his community. Moreover, the name is found in the context of military records from the Napoleonic Wars, suggesting that family members were also involved in military service.
During the 19th century, the surname Ziesmer became associated with several notable individuals. Friedrich Ziesmer, born in 1823 in Mecklenburg, became well-known as an educator and author, contributing to the intellectual landscape of the time with several published works on pedagogy and rural education. In addition, Wilhelm Ziesmer, born in 1857, gained recognition as a prominent merchant and community leader in the city of Stettin (now Szczecin, Poland), illustrating the family's continued social and economic influence.
Another notable person is Hans Ziesmer, born in 1890, who was an engineer during the early 20th century. Hans contributed significantly to advancements in mechanical engineering and had several patents to his name, underlining the evolving professional landscape of the Ziesmer family.
Overall, the surname Ziesmer has a rich history rooted in the socio-economic and cultural fabric of northern and eastern Germany. Over centuries, individuals bearing this name have made notable contributions in various fields, indicating a legacy of adaptability and prominence.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Ziesmer
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Ziesmer 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 Ziesmer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.0% · 574
- Two or more races4.4% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.5% · 10
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 9
- Black or African American0.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Ziesmer
Ziesmer 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
#34,223
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 663
+77 bearers (+13.1%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Up 1,906 places
2020
#36,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 652
-11 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.22
Rank movement Down 2,624 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #36,129 | 586 | 0.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #34,223 | 663 | 0.22 | +77 bearers (+13.1%) | Up 1,906 places |
| 2020 | #36,847 | 652 | 0.22 | -11 bearers (-1.7%) | Down 2,624 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 Ziesmer 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 | #34,223 | #36,847 | -7.7% |
| Count | 663 | 652 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.22 | 0.22 | -0.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Ziesmer bearers went from 663 to 652 (-1.7% change). The surname moved down 2,624 positions in the national ranking, going from #34,223 to #36,847.
FAQ
Ziesmer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Ziesmer?
Name Census estimates that about 748 living Americans carry the surname Ziesmer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 458,228 residents.
How common is Ziesmer?
Ziesmer ranks #36,847 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.22 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 652 people with the surname Ziesmer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (748), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.22 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.22 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 Ziesmer.
Has Ziesmer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Ziesmer went from 663 recorded bearers to 652. That is a decrease of 11 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #34,223 to #36,847.
What does the Census say about the background of Ziesmer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Ziesmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Ziesmer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.0% (574 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Ziesmer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.0%), Two or More Races (4.4%), Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Ziesmer (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 Ziesmer mean?
A German surname derived from the word "Ziesemer" which refers to a small river or stream. 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 Ziesmer (0.22 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 Ziesmer?
Want to know how many people have the surname Ziesmer? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.