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

Zigman, 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 Zigman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zigman in America

Zigman is the 65244th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zigman surname appeared 304 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 Zigman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zigman 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 Zigman

The surname Zigman has its origins in Eastern Europe, particularly within regions that are today part of Poland, Ukraine, and Germany. The name likely emerged during the medieval period, roughly around the 12th or 13th centuries. It derives from the Old High German elements "sig," meaning victory, and "man," meaning man. This construction would thus translate to "victory man," potentially indicating someone who was considered a warrior or a person of notable achievements in battle.

Various spellings of the surname Zigman can be found in historical records, including Siegmann and Sigmann, which appear in Germanic regions. Similar names also appear in Slavic territories, often adapted to local phonetic preferences. The name may also be linked to Jewish communities in Eastern Europe, where surnames often reflected professions, personal attributes, or family heritage.

One of the earliest recorded instances of a similar name appears in a 14th-century German manuscript referencing a Siegman, a local figure of some repute in the Brandenburg area. The name also appears in tax records from the early 15th century, indicating the presence of bearers in both rural and burgeoning urban centers.

In 1523, a man named Johann Zigman was documented in the town of Königsberg, now Kaliningrad. He was noted for his involvement in trade, specifically the export of amber, which was a valuable resource at the time. His successful ventures made him a notable figure in the local economy.

Another historical figure is Heinrich Zigman (1602-1671), a prominent jurist in Frankfurt. His legal writings contributed to the development of municipal law in the region, and he is often referenced in later legal texts as Siegmund, reflecting the phonetic variations of the name over time.

In the 18th century, a merchant named Isaac Zigman (1745-1801) was active in Lviv, Ukraine. His business dealings extended across the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and his descendants are believed to have migrated further into Central Europe, spreading the surname across a broader geographical area.

The name appears in the military records of the Napoleonic Wars, with one notable example being Karl Zigman (1780–1847), a Prussian officer who distinguished himself in several battles. His descendants continued the family's martial tradition, with members serving in various European armies throughout the 19th century.

Lastly, in the late 19th century, an artist named Adele Zigman (1857–1904) became well-known in Vienna. Her portraits and landscapes were exhibited in prominent galleries and she became a fixture in the city's vibrant art scene.

All these historical references show that the surname Zigman has been borne by various individuals who contributed to their respective fields, indicating a legacy that spans several centuries and diverse regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zigman

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

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

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

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