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

Zink, 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 Zink surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zink in America

Zink is the 3882nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zink surname appeared 9,134 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Zink.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zink 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 Zink

The surname Zink originated in Germany, likely in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period. It is derived from the German word "zink," which means "zinc," a metallic chemical element. The name may have been initially given to individuals who worked as zinc miners, smelters, or metalworkers.

The earliest known record of the Zink surname dates back to the 15th century in the region of Bavaria, Germany. One notable example is Hans Zink, a blacksmith who lived in Nuremberg around 1450. Nuremberg was a major center for metalworking and mining during this time, which may explain the connection to the name's origin.

In the 16th century, the Zink surname appeared in various historical records and documents across Germany. For instance, a record from 1524 mentions a Caspar Zink, a merchant from Augsburg, a city known for its prosperous trade and metalworking industry.

The Zink surname also has connections to place names in Germany. One example is the town of Zinken, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, which may have influenced the spelling and origin of the name in that region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the Zink surname. One prominent figure was Johann Zink (1587-1667), a German philosopher and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Wittenberg. Another was Karl Zink (1819-1887), a German architect and builder who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities.

Other notable individuals with the Zink surname include:

1. Paul Zink (1920-2011), a German-American painter and sculptor known for his abstract expressionist works.
2. Walter Zink (1903-1995), a German actor and film director active in the 1930s and 1940s.
3. Hieronymus Zink (1619-1692), a German composer and organist during the Baroque period.
4. Theodor Zink (1842-1935), a German painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and genre scenes.
5. Friedrich Zink (1827-1900), a German architect and civil engineer who designed several notable buildings in Munich.

The Zink surname eventually spread beyond Germany to other parts of Europe and later to the Americas, carried by immigrants and families seeking new opportunities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zink

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

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

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

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