2000
#124,872
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zinniel
A German surname possibly derived from the word "zinne" meaning battlement or turret.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Zinniel. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zinniel 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Zinniel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinniel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zinniel
The surname Zinniel can trace its origins back to Germany, where it is believed to have first appeared around the late medieval period. The name likely stems from the German words “Zinne” or “Zinn”, which mean “pinnacle” or “tin,” respectively. This could indicate a geographical origin related to elevated terrains or even reference an occupation involving tin mining or crafting.
The regions in Germany where the name Zinniel was initially found include areas in Bavaria and the Franconian part of the country. During the Middle Ages, these regions were known for their mining activities and craftsmanship, which could explain the adoption of such surnames by skilled workers or professionals involved in these trades.
Historical records show variations of the surname appearing in old manuscripts and legal documents. For instance, a record from the early 1500s mentions a Heinrich Zinnel in Bavaria. This suggests that the surname had already been established and was passed down through generations. The name appeared in various spellings, including Zinnel, Zinnl, and Zinnle, depending on local dialects and transcription practices at the time.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname is Johann Zinniel, born in 1685, who was a craftsman in Nuremberg. His work as a silversmith made him relatively well-known in the local community. Another prominent figure was Karl Zinniel, a scholar born in 1742 in Würzburg, who made significant contributions to the field of linguistics during the late 18th century.
In the 19th century, the name continued to appear in various records, including emigration documents, as several individuals with the surname Zinniel moved to America in search of better opportunities. One such individual was Georg Zinniel, born in 1822, who settled in Pennsylvania and became involved in the burgeoning steel industry. His efforts contributed to the industrial boom of the area, showcasing the skilled craftsmanship that had been passed down through generations.
Further notable persons include Maria Zinniel, born in 1857, who became known for her involvement in the German women’s rights movement. Her advocacy for women’s education and voting rights left a lasting impact on the movement during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another key figure is Friedrich Zinniel, born in 1889, who was an artist known for his landscape paintings, capturing the essence of the German countryside that his ancestors hailed from.
Through these historical records and notable figures, it is clear that the surname Zinniel has a rich heritage, closely tied to specific regions and professions in Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zinniel
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinniel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Zinniel 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 Zinniel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zinniel
Zinniel 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
#126,018
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
+9 bearers (+7.1%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 1,146 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-20 bearers (-14.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,010 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #124,872 | 127 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #126,018 | 136 | 0.05 | +9 bearers (+7.1%) | Down 1,146 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-14.7%) | Down 19,010 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 Zinniel 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 | #126,018 | #145,028 | -15.1% |
| Count | 136 | 116 | -14.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -22.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zinniel bearers went from 136 to 116 (-14.7% change). The surname moved down 19,010 positions in the national ranking, going from #126,018 to #145,028.
FAQ
Zinniel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zinniel?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Zinniel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Zinniel?
Zinniel ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Zinniel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Zinniel.
Has Zinniel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zinniel went from 136 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 20 (-14.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #126,018 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Zinniel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinniel, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Zinniel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zinniel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Hispanic (3.4%). 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 Zinniel (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 Zinniel mean?
A German surname possibly derived from the word "zinne" meaning battlement or turret. 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 Zinniel (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 have the last name Zinniel?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Zinniel on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.