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

Zin, 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 Zin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zin in America

Zin is the 59742nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zin surname appeared 338 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 Zin.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zin 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 Zin

The surname Zin is believed to have origins in several regions, reflecting a rich tapestry of cultural and linguistic influences. One prominent theory suggests that the name has roots in Eastern Europe, specifically within the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Poland and Ukraine. The earliest instances of the surname can be traced back to the early 17th century in these regions.

In Poland, variants of the surname such as Zinn and Zyne have been discovered in records dating to the 1600s. The suffix -in or -yn was commonly used in Slavic languages, often signifying "son of" or denoting lineage. This linguistic pattern suggests that Zin might have originally meant "son of Z" or "descendant of Z," where "Z" could have been a shortened form or a nickname of a longer given name.

In historical manuscripts, the surname Zin appears in various forms. One of the earliest documented instances is found in a tax register from 1635 in Kraków, Poland, where a Jacob Zin was listed as a taxpayer. This indicates the family's presence and established status within the community during that time period. Another early reference can be found in the records of the Chmielnicki uprising in 1648, where several individuals named Zin were noted as part of the Jewish community facing persecution.

In Ukraine, the surname Zin also appears in Cossack registry documents from the late 1600s, reflecting the settlement of Jews in the Ukrainian territories governed by the Cossacks. The name surfaces in various village records, such as Volhynia and Podolia, indicative of a widespread and rooted presence across these regions.

A notable bearer of the surname is Rabbi Moses Zin (1750–1821), who was an influential religious leader in Lithuania. His works and sermons significantly impacted Jewish thought and practice in the region. Another historical figure is Samuel Zin, a prominent merchant in Odessa during the early 19th century (1785–1854), who played a key role in the economic development of the Jewish community there.

The surname also appears in historical references to the first wave of Jewish immigrants to the United States in the 19th century. David Zin, originally from Poland, arrived in New York in 1882 and established a successful business, contributing to the burgeoning Jewish immigrant community.

Other notable figures include Sarah Zin, an artist and philanthropist in early 20th century Paris, born in 1878 and died in 1949, whose works were part of the cultural revival in France post-World War I. Additionally, Israel Zin, born in Vilnius in 1827 and passed in 1905, was a well-known scholar and author of several influential texts on Jewish law and tradition.

Through these historical snapshots, the surname Zin reveals a lineage marked by resilience, adaptability, and significant contributions to cultural and economic life across various regions. The history of the surname is woven into the broader narrative of the Jewish diaspora, reflecting the diverse experiences and legacies left by its bearers.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zin

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

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

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

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