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

Zimmerlee, 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 Zimmerlee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zimmerlee in America

Zimmerlee is the 89069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zimmerlee surname appeared 208 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 Zimmerlee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zimmerlee 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 Zimmerlee

The surname Zimmerlee likely originates from German-speaking regions of Europe. It is believed to be a compound name derived from Middle High German. The first part, Zimmer, translates to "room" or "carpenter," and the second part, Lee, is derived from the Old High German word leah, meaning "clearing" or "meadow." Therefore, Zimmerlee can be interpreted to mean "carpenter's clearing" or "room in a clearing."

The surname could be historically tied to those who lived in or near a meadow or clearing where carpentry was a common trade. This type of compound name was typical in the Medieval period, specifically around the 12th to 14th centuries, when surnames began to become hereditary in Germanic lands. The regions where this surname may have originally appeared are likely within the Holy Roman Empire's territories, such as present-day Germany, Switzerland, and Austria.

One of the early records containing a variant of the surname is a manuscript from 1295 in Bavaria, mentioning a "Johannes Zimmerle." Additionally, a document from 1347 in Zürich refers to a "Hans Zimmerley," indicating the name's presence in both rural and urban areas during that time.

By the mid-15th century, the surname appears in more stable forms in various regions. For instance, a tax register from 1453 in the town of Freiburg lists a "Michael Zimmerlee" among its entries. Another notable occurrence is in 1485 when a legal document in Strasbourg identifies a merchant named "Peter Zimmerlee," highlighting the surname's spread into different social classes and occupations.

Moving into the 16th and 17th centuries, various records, such as church baptismal registries and legal documents, show a steady presence of individuals with the last name Zimmerlee. A significant mention is of "Anna Zimmerlee," born in 1576, who appeared in a marriage record in Nuremberg in 1599. Another prominent person was "Johann Zimmerlee," a noted scholar who published various theological works between 1630 and 1650.

Much later, in the 18th century, a person with this surname made a mark in the area of music. "Wilhelm Zimmerlee," born in 1712, was a well-regarded composer and violinist, active primarily in Vienna until his death in 1787. His contributions to the early classical music period are still noted in some music history texts.

The surname Zimmerlee, with its historical roots in the Germanic lands, offers an interesting journey through time, showcasing the evolution from a simple occupational and locational reference to a widespread family name noted across various regions and centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zimmerlee

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

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

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

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