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

Ziler, 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 Ziler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ziler in America

Ziler is the 81181st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ziler surname appeared 233 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 Ziler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ziler 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 Ziler

The surname Ziler has its roots in Central Europe, particularly in areas that are now part of modern-day Germany and Eastern France. The surname appears to date back to the late medieval period when surnames began to be used more consistently. Ziler is believed to be derived from an occupational origin, likely connected to the profession of a "zeiler" or "ziller," which in Middle High German meant someone who worked with roofing tiles or perhaps was involved in some aspect of construction or tiling.

Historical records from the 15th century make mention of the name in various forms, such as Ziller, Zeiler, and Sihler, reflecting the regional dialects' influence on spelling. Manuscripts from the Rhineland and Alsace contain entries with those surnames, suggesting that people bearing this name were active in these regions, contributing to the burgeoning urban economies through their trades.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname can be found in municipal records of Strasbourg from 1476, where a Heinrich Ziler is documented as a master tiler involved in the construction of several landmark buildings. Over the centuries, the spelling of the name has stabilized somewhat, but variations still persisted into the 17th and 18th centuries, including in church records which often listed names phonetically.

Noteworthy individuals with this surname include Jacob Ziler, born in 1623 in what is now Baden-Württemberg, who was a respected guildsman in the local builder's guild. Another significant historical figure was Anna Maria Ziler, born in 1710 in the Alsace region, who is noted in local chronicles for her philanthropic efforts, particularly during the harsh winters of the mid-18th century.

In the 19th century, during periods of socio-economic upheavals and wars, bearers of the surname Ziler migrated to other parts of Europe and even to the Americas. William Ziler, born in 1825 in Bavaria, emigrated to the United States and settled in Pennsylvania in 1850, becoming an influential figure in his community as a craftsman and later a local politician.

Toward the latter part of the 19th century, another well-documented individual is Friedrich Ziler, a noted academic born in 1848 in Heidelberg. His contributions to early engineering education helped shape the technical training programs that were emerging during Germany's industrialization.

Each instance of the surname Ziler across different periods and regions further establishes the name's deep-seated connection within Central Europe’s socio-economic fabric, particularly tied to its historical occupational roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ziler

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

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

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

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