2000
#105,905
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Zinkan
A surname possibly derived from the German words "Zinke" (pinnacle) or "Zinken" (tines or prongs).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Zinkan. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zinkan 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Zinkan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zinkan
The surname Zinkan has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the early medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is believed to have originated from the regions along the Rhine River, particularly from areas that are part of modern-day Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. This surname is often linked to the Middle High German word "zinke," which translates to "prong" or "point." The suffix "an" is commonly seen in surnames from this period and may indicate a diminutive or possessive form, suggesting "little prong" or "one who works with prongs."
The name Zinkan shows linguistic similarities with surnames like Zink and Zincke, which are also of German origin. These related names typically referred to someone who was a tinker or a worker in metals, such as a smith. The early association with metalwork suggests that the bearers of this surname might have been craftsmen or traders specializing in tools or weaponry.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Zinkan appears in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Mainz, an important center for commerce and trade in medieval Germany. This manuscript mentions a Heinrich Zinkan, a local blacksmith known for his finely crafted tools, dated to approximately 1375.
Michael Zinkan, born in 1502 in Heidelberg, is another noteworthy individual. He was an accomplished metalworker whose intricate designs were well-regarded by the local aristocracy. Documentation of his work and legacy can be found in the town records of Heidelberg, evidencing his prominence during the early 16th century.
Another historical figure, Anna Zinkan (1635–1704), from the town of Speyer, is noted in church records for her work as a midwife. Although not directly related to metalworking, Anna's prominence in the community is recorded in various ecclesiastical documents, marking an important deviation in the occupational association of the surname.
By the late 17th century, a Johann Friedrich Zinkan (1661–1730), hailing from Stuttgart, was recorded as a master watchmaker. His contributions to the development of precision timepieces were recognized in the court of Duke Eberhard Louis of Württemberg. The precision and artistry involved in his craft aligned with the early metallurgical associations of the surname.
The name also traveled beyond Germany in the 18th century. A Wilhelm Zinkan, listed in naval records from 1758, appeared as an officer serving in the Prussian navy. His later years were spent in coastal towns of the Baltic Sea, indicating the geographical spread of the surname within and beyond Central Europe.
Across these centuries, the Zinkan surname has demonstrated a rich historical tapestry interwoven with skilled craftsmanship, societal contributions, and regional significance. The consistent theme of detailed craftsmanship, whether in metal, midwifery, or watchmaking, underscores the diverse legacy carried by bearers of the Zinkan name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zinkan
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Zinkan 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 Zinkan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 115
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zinkan
Zinkan 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
#114,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 153
-3 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 8,519 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-32 bearers (-20.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,885 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #105,905 | 156 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #114,424 | 153 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 8,519 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -32 bearers (-20.9%) | Down 26,885 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 Zinkan 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 | #114,424 | #141,309 | -23.5% |
| Count | 153 | 121 | -20.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zinkan bearers went from 153 to 121 (-20.9% change). The surname moved down 26,885 positions in the national ranking, going from #114,424 to #141,309.
FAQ
Zinkan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zinkan?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Zinkan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Zinkan?
Zinkan ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Zinkan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Zinkan.
Has Zinkan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zinkan went from 153 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 32 (-20.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #114,424 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Zinkan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Zinkan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (115 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zinkan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Zinkan (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 Zinkan mean?
A surname possibly derived from the German words "Zinke" (pinnacle) or "Zinken" (tines or prongs). 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 Zinkan (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 are called Zinkan?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Zinkan at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.