2000
#116,835
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zimbrick
A variant of the German surname Zimmermann, meaning "carpenter" or "woodworker."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Zimbrick. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zimbrick 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Zimbrick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimbrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.8%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zimbrick
The surname Zimbrick has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically from what is today Germany and Poland, with its roots traceable back to the Middle Ages. This name likely stems from a geographical or topographical feature, a common practice for surnames in that period. The name Zimbrick is believed to have been derived from a place name, which is quite typical for surnames in the Germanic tradition.
The word "Zim-," in old Germanic languages, is related to "Zimmer" which means room or chamber, often used to denote a carpenter or worker who built rooms or structures. The latter part, "-brick," could be associated with "Brücke," meaning bridge, or may denote a construction material like brick. Thus, the meaning of the surname Zimbrick can be hypothesized as "room builder," "bridge builder," or someone involved with construction work.
One of the earliest instances of the surname Zimbrick appeared in medieval records from the 13th century. A mention of a "Heinrich Zimbrich" in the year 1268 in the town of Breslau, now Wrocław in Poland, illustrates the name’s early usage. These records suggest that the Zimbrick family may have been well established in the area, potentially involved in construction or similar trades.
The surname appears in various historical documents, reflecting its geographical spread and the movement of families. Another old record in the archives of Lübeck, a prominent Hanseatic city, mentions a “Jakob Zimbrick” in 1379, indicating that by this time, bearers of the surname had established themselves in different parts of Germanic Europe.
Further references in the 16th century show the continued existence and prominence of the name. A “Maximilian Zimbrick” served as a notable craftsman in Nuremberg, Germany, documented in 1584. His work in masonry and contributions to city structures highlight the surname’s association with building and construction.
In the 18th century, the name appears in emigration records. "Johann Zimbrick" is listed among the settlers who moved to North America in 1764, during a period of significant German immigration. His move exemplified the migration patterns that spread the surname beyond Europe, leading to a diverse presence especially in the United States.
The 19th century brought further notable figures such as “Wilhelm Zimbrick,” born in 1823, who was a key figure in the industrial developments of Prussia. His contributions to railway construction emphasized the persistent link between the surname and roles related to building and engineering.
The surname Zimbrick, through its rich history from medieval Europe to modern times, carries connotations of construction, craftsmanship, and geographical ties to German-speaking regions. Historical figures bearing this name illustrate the varied yet consistently industrious paths taken by individuals and families, underscoring the significance and enduring legacy of the surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zimbrick
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimbrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.8%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Zimbrick 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 Zimbrick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.2% · 94
- American Indian and Alaska Native8.8% · 10
- Two or more races6.2% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zimbrick
Zimbrick 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
-10 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,371 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-15 bearers (-11.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,015 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #116,835 | 138 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 15,371 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -15 bearers (-11.7%) | Down 15,015 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 Zimbrick 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 | #132,206 | #147,221 | -11.4% |
| Count | 128 | 113 | -11.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zimbrick bearers went from 128 to 113 (-11.7% change). The surname moved down 15,015 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #147,221.
FAQ
Zimbrick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zimbrick?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Zimbrick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Zimbrick?
Zimbrick ranks #147,221 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 113 people with the surname Zimbrick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), 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 Zimbrick.
Has Zimbrick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zimbrick went from 128 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 15 (-11.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Zimbrick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimbrick, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (8.8%) and Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Zimbrick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.2% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zimbrick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (8.8%), Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Zimbrick (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 Zimbrick mean?
A variant of the German surname Zimmermann, meaning "carpenter" or "woodworker." 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 Zimbrick (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 Zimbrick?
Find out how many people have the surname Zimbrick on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.