2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zillmann
A surname of German origin meaning one from Zillendorf.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Zillmann. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zillmann 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Zillmann in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zillmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zillmann
The surname Zillmann can be traced back to Germanic origins, with its roots situated in the regions of Germany. The name likely emerged during the Middle Ages, a period when surnames were becoming increasingly necessary to distinguish individuals as populations grew. Zillmann is thought to derive from a combination of the Germanic words 'zill,' meaning 'goal' or 'aim,' and 'mann,' meaning 'man.' This could imply that the name originally referred to a person who was driven or had a specific purpose or goal.
Historical records indicate that the surname Zillmann appeared in various German scripts and manuscripts. One of the earliest references to a similar spelling dates back to the 14th century in Bavaria. The spelling of the name has remained relatively consistent, though variations like Zilman or Zilmann could have been used interchangeably.
One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Zillmann was Friedrich Zillmann, recorded in 1378 as a landowner in what is now modern-day Saxony. His contributions to local governance and social structures were well-noted in county records. Another notable figure was Johann Zillmann, born in 1510, who served as a municipal judge in Frankfurt and was instrumental in the development of local legal codes.
In the 17th century, Anna Zillmann became a prominent figure in the arts community of Munich, excelling as a painter and attracting royal patronage for her exquisite works. Her legacy was preserved in various art collections throughout Germany, and she remains an example of the cultural contributions of individuals with this surname.
Hans Zillmann, born in 1692, was a notable scholar and academician. He published several influential works on theology and philosophy, which are still referenced in studies of early Enlightenment thought in Germany. His writings helped shape modern interpretations of philosophical thought during a transformative period in European history.
In the 19th century, the name Zillmann makes another appearance with Ernst Zillmann, born in 1830, a renowned architect whose designs significantly influenced urban development in Berlin. His most famous projects include the design of several iconic city buildings that still stand today as testaments to his architectural prowess.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zillmann
Among Census respondents with the surname Zillmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zillmann 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 Zillmann surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.3% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zillmann
Zillmann 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
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-8 bearers (-7.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 19,187 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+8 bearers (+8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,040 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | -8 bearers (-7.4%) | Down 19,187 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+8.0%) | Up 10,040 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 Zillmann 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 | #160,975 | #150,935 | 6.2% |
| Count | 100 | 108 | 8.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zillmann bearers went from 100 to 108 (+8.0% change). The surname moved up 10,040 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #150,935.
FAQ
Zillmann surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zillmann?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Zillmann. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Zillmann?
Zillmann ranks #150,935 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 108 people with the surname Zillmann. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Zillmann.
Has Zillmann become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zillmann went from 100 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 8 (+8.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Zillmann?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zillmann, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.9%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Zillmann in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.3% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zillmann appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.3%), Hispanic (1.9%), Black (0.9%). 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 Zillmann (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 Zillmann mean?
A surname of German origin meaning one from Zillendorf. 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 Zillmann (0.04 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 Zillmann?
See how many people have the last name Zillmann on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.