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

Zilch, 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 Zilch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zilch in America

Zilch is the 51830th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zilch surname appeared 401 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 Zilch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zilch 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 Zilch

The surname Zilch finds its roots in German-speaking areas, particularly around the regions that are today part of Germany and Austria. Linguistic evidence suggests that the surname Zilch emerged during the Middle Ages, a period dating roughly from the 5th to the late 15th century. The name appears to have originated from the Bavarian and Swabian regions, areas known for their distinct dialects and strong cultural identities.

Etymologically, the surname Zilch is believed to derive from the Middle High German word zil or zille, which means "target" or "goal", combined with the suffix -ch, which was often used as a diminutive or to denote a person associated with a particular trait or occupation. This suggests that the original bearers of the name might have been archers, goal-setters, or individuals known for their precision. There are similar spellings and variations of the name, such as Zilg or Zülch, found in historical documents.

One of the earliest records of the surname Zilch can be traced back to a medieval manuscript from the 13th century in the town of Augsburg, which was an important center for trade and politics in the Holy Roman Empire. This manuscript mentions a Conrad Zilch, a local merchant known for his dealings in textiles and spices, dating to around 1260. Such records indicate that the Zilch family was involved in commerce and played a significant role in the economic life of the region.

Another notable historical reference includes the Würzburg Council Records of 1492, where a Hans Zilch is listed as a member of a local guild. His involvement underscores the prominence that individuals with the surname had in civic administration and local governance during the Late Middle Ages.

As we move into the early modern period, one notable figure with the surname Zilch is Johann Zilch, who was born in 1633 and died in 1698. Johann was a landowner and jurist in the Franconia region, playing a pivotal role in the adjudication of local disputes and the upkeep of regional laws.

In the 18th century, another person of interest is Maria Zilch, born in 1714 in Nuremberg and known for her charitable activities. She founded an orphanage in 1750 and actively contributed to improving the welfare of the city’s destitute children, becoming a well-regarded philanthropist of her time.

Fast forwarding to the 19th century, Christoph Zilch, born in 1855 and passing away in 1912, was a prominent figure in the fields of botany and horticulture. He established extensive gardens in Heidelberg and was noted for his experiments with hybrid plants, contributing to the study of plant genetics and horticultural practices.

The Zilch surname, over centuries, illustrates a lineage imbued with community involvement, economic enterprise, and contributions to civic and scientific development. Through time, these individuals and their legacies provide a rich tapestry of the historical and social fabric in which the name Zilch is embedded.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zilch

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zilch, 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!