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

Zins, 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 Zins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zins in America

Zins is the 33196th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zins surname appeared 689 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 Zins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zins 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 Zins

The surname Zins is believed to have originated in the regions that are present-day Germany and France, specifically from areas where Germanic languages were spoken. The surname seems to have roots in the Middle Ages, around the 14th to 15th centuries. The name Zins is derived from several older Germanic words, including "zins" which means "tax" or "tribute" in Middle High German. This term was used to refer to various types of levies and dues paid by feudal tenants to their lords.

Historical records from the Holy Roman Empire, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Alsace, show early mentions of individuals with the surname Zins. The Feudal system's structure means that those who collected or enforced taxes and tributes were significant figures, and this is where the surname Zins may have had its origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname dates back to the 15th century. A notable mention is that of Heinrich Zins, who was documented as a tax collector in the town of Strasbourg around 1472. His role as a tax collector made him an important figure in local administration and governance.

Another historical figure, Johann Zins, born in 1624 in Bavaria, served as a scribe in the court of the Electorate of Bavaria. Documentation from 1650 indicates his active involvement in the administration, contributing to the collection and management of feudal taxes. His work in the court necessitated a high level of literacy and numeracy which were relatively rare skills at the time.

In the early 18th century, Maria Zins, born in 1693 in Alsace, was noted in church records for her charitable contributions to her local parish. Her will, dated 1745, left sizable donations to the church, reflecting the family's relatively affluent status achieved partly through administrative roles related to tax collection.

Peter Zins, a noted artisan born in 1775 in the German region of Rhineland, became a significant figure through his craftsmanship in metalworking. He was commissioned to create intricate designs for church altars and municipal buildings, and records from 1803 detail his contributions to the reconstruction efforts following the Napoleonic Wars.

The surname also made its way to North America in the 19th century. Jakob Zins, born in 1807 in Bavaria, emigrated to the United States in 1848, settling in the state of Pennsylvania. Census records from the mid-19th century indicate that Jakob became a well-regarded farmer and community leader in his new homeland, reflecting the adaptive and resilient nature of those bearing the surname Zins.

Examining these historical figures highlights the evolution of the surname Zins from its origins related to tax collection and tribute in feudal societies to its broader implications and contributions through various professional fields and migrations. These records testify to the enduring legacy and varied contributions of the Zins family across centuries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zins

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

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

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

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