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

Zinner, 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 Zinner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zinner in America

Zinner is the 43206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zinner surname appeared 500 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 Zinner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zinner 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 Zinner

The surname Zinner is believed to have originated in Germany, likely dating back to the High Middle Ages, around the 12th to 13th centuries. The name is thought to be derived from the German word "Zinn," meaning "tin," hinting that the original bearers of the name were possibly tin workers, metal smiths, or engaged in mining activities. This occupational surname would have been common in regions where tin mining was prevalent, such as Saxony or the Ore Mountains.

Early records of the name Zinner appear in various forms, reflecting the fluidity of spelling in historical documents. In medieval manuscripts, variants such as Zinner, Ziner, and Tsinner can be found. One of the earliest recorded instances is a reference to a Heinrich Zinner in a 14th-century tax register from Saxony, indicating that the family was established and likely prosperous enough to be noted in tax documentation.

A notable historical figure with the surname Zinner is Georg Zinner, born in 1500, a master craftsman documented in the archives of Nuremberg. His work as a metalsmith places him within the tradition suggested by the etymology of the name. Another significant individual is Johann Zinner, who was a town council member in Leipzig in the late 16th century, indicating that the family had gained a degree of social prominence by this time.

In the 18th century, the name Zinner appears again with Christian Zinner, an Austrian painter born in 1728 and known for his elaborate religious frescoes. His work in ecclesiastical art was highly regarded, and several of his paintings remain in churches throughout Austria. By the 19th century, the name appears in the academic world with Karl Zinner, a German philologist born in 1824, who contributed significantly to the study of Germanic languages and published numerous works on medieval literature.

Max Zinner, born in 1857, was another person of note, a prominent architect based in Berlin whose designs included several important public buildings still standing today. His architectural style helped shape the city's skyline during a period of rapid urban expansion in Germany.

Throughout history, the Zinner surname has been associated with various regions in Germany and Austria, reflecting a rich tapestry of professional and social engagements. The presence of the name in historical records and literature underscores its long-standing significance within the European context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zinner

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!