2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zimmerhanzel
An old German compound surname referring to a carpenter responsible for room construction.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Zimmerhanzel. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zimmerhanzel 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Zimmerhanzel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmerhanzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zimmerhanzel
The surname Zimmerhanzel has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, possibly dating back to the Medieval period. This surname is likely to have originated in the Germanic regions, particularly around areas that are modern-day Germany and Austria. The name reflects the compound nature common to German surnames, derived from a combination of words or phrases.
Zimmer comes from the Middle High German zimber, meaning timber or carpenter, indicating that the name might have been occupational, originally given to someone who worked as a carpenter or in woodworking. Hanzel is a diminutive form of the name Hans, which itself is a German form of Johannes, meaning God is gracious. Put together, Zimmerhanzel could originally mean "Little Hans the Carpenter."
The name Zimmerhanzel does not appear in the Domesday Book or any major English records, as it is of German origin. However, it appears in various Germanic documents throughout history. One of the earliest mentions of a similar name comes from a 15th-century church registry in Bavaria, indicating the individual's profession as a Zimmermann, or carpenter. The diminutive form "Hanzel" indicates a slightly later time period when names began to evolve to reflect more personalized identifiers.
In the early 17th century, a record from a small village in the Black Forest region of Germany mentions Johann Zimmerhanzel, who was a well-known carpenter in the area. He was born in 1603 and died in 1670. His craft was so respected that the local church still has wooden beams he carved, signifying his lasting impact.
Another person of historical significance with the surname Zimmerhanzel was Friedrich Zimmerhanzel, a clockmaker from Vienna in the 18th century. Born in 1725 and deceased in 1790, Friedrich was known for his exquisite craftsmanship and contributed to the development of precision timekeeping in Central Europe.
A notable figure in the 19th century was Karl Zimmerhanzel, an educator and author born in 1822 and died in 1884. He published several notable works on pedagogy and was influential in the educational reforms in the Kingdom of Prussia, contributing significantly to the development of a more modern educational system.
In the early 20th century, Maria Zimmerhanzel, born in 1895 and passed away in 1973, was a renowned artist and sculptor from Austria. Her works were celebrated for their intricate designs and historical themes, embodying the rich cultural heritage of her homeland.
Finally, Hans Zimmerhanzel, related distantly to the earlier Johann Zimmerhanzel, was a prominent medical doctor in Germany during the World War II era. Born in 1901 and deceased in 1956, Hans was known for his advancements in field surgery and was recognized for his efforts to save numerous lives during and after the war.
The surname Zimmerhanzel, deeply rooted in the Germanic tradition, indicates a rich history tied to craft, dedication, and community contributions, reflected in the lives of those who bore the name and left their mark on history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zimmerhanzel
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmerhanzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zimmerhanzel 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 Zimmerhanzel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino8.7% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zimmerhanzel
Zimmerhanzel 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-12 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 20,399 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-7 bearers (-6.3%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,243 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 20,399 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -7 bearers (-6.3%) | Down 5,243 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 Zimmerhanzel 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 | #148,347 | #153,590 | -3.5% |
| Count | 111 | 104 | -6.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zimmerhanzel bearers went from 111 to 104 (-6.3% change). The surname moved down 5,243 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #153,590.
FAQ
Zimmerhanzel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zimmerhanzel?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Zimmerhanzel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Zimmerhanzel?
Zimmerhanzel ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Zimmerhanzel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zimmerhanzel.
Has Zimmerhanzel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zimmerhanzel went from 111 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #148,347 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Zimmerhanzel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmerhanzel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.7%). 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 Zimmerhanzel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zimmerhanzel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (8.7%). 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 Zimmerhanzel (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 Zimmerhanzel mean?
An old German compound surname referring to a carpenter responsible for room construction. 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 Zimmerhanzel (0.03 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 share the surname Zimmerhanzel?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.