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

Ziliak, 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 Ziliak surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Ziliak in America

Ziliak is the 70645th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Ziliak surname appeared 277 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 Ziliak.

We can also compare 2010 data for Ziliak 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 Ziliak

The surname Ziliak traces its origins to Central Europe, likely emerging from regions that are present-day Germany or Austria during the medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. Its etymology is somewhat elusive, but it may derive from a root word related to the Old High German term "zil," which means "goal" or "purpose." This root term could have denoted someone who was a leader or had a clear objective in their community.

Early records from the region, although sparse, indicate that the name began appearing in local registries and documents by the late medieval period. One of the earliest mentions of a similar surname appears in a 1483 church register in Bavaria, listing a Johan Ziliak as a landowner and town official. This suggests that the Ziliak family may have been of some social standing, involved in local governance or commerce.

In the 16th century, the surname Ziliak appears in several legal documents related to Bavarian land transfers and property disputes. One notable instance is a record dated 1547, where a Michael Ziliak is involved in a significant exchange of farmlands in the region. This period marks a time when the name began to spread within German-speaking territories, owing to migrations and growing family connections.

The surname Ziliak also featured in military records during numerous European conflicts. A notable individual is Friedrich Ziliak, who served as a captain under the Holy Roman Empire during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), distinguished for his tactical acumen in the Battle of Breitenfeld in 1631. His involvement in such significant historical events indicates the surname’s presence in militaristic and governmental frameworks of the time.

In the 18th century, the name Ziliak appears in emigration records as several families moved to the New World. Johann Henrich Ziliak, born in 1723 in Hesse, Germany, emigrated to Pennsylvania, USA, in 1751. His descendants played roles in local American historical events, including the Revolutionary War, demonstrating the name's spread and adaptation into different cultural contexts.

By the 19th century, the surname Ziliak can be found in various civic documents of the K.u.K. Monarchy, the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Records from 1827 cite a Wilhelm Ziliak as holding a prominent position in the city council of Vienna, where he advocated for urban development and public education reforms. His contributions to civic projects and political discourse showcase the name's integration into higher echelons of society.

In summary, the surname Ziliak has a rich history tied to its Central European roots, with notable appearances in medieval records, land disputes, military engagements, and political endeavors. The variations in the spelling and adaptation to different regions and contexts showcase the fluidity and enduring presence of the surname through centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Ziliak

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

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

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

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