2000
#21,039
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,164
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.43
Rare Last name
Zinser
A German surname derived from a place name or occupation involving tin mining or smelting.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,373 Americans carry the last name Zinser. That puts it at #22,107 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.40 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 249,639 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zinser 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
1.4K
1 in 249,639
Census rank
#22,107
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,197 bearers of the surname Zinser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.40 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22107th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinser, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zinser
The surname Zinser is of German origin, with its earliest roots tracing back to the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg in Southern Germany. The name Zinser is derived from the Middle High German word zins, meaning "rent" or "tribute," which was associated with the medieval tax system. It is likely that the original bearers of the surname were involved in the collection of rents and tributes, possibly working as tax officials or in some administrative capacity for the ruling lords.
The surname appeared as early as the 13th century in historical records and manuscripts. In 1290, an individual named Johann Zinser was documented in the town of Ulm, a significant historical reference that indicates the surname was in use during the medieval period. The name might have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over the centuries, but its origin in the collection of rents has remained consistent.
Throughout history, various individuals bearing the surname Zinser have made their mark. One notable figure is Kaspar Zinser, born in 1535 and died in 1580, who served as a respected member of the municipal council in Augsburg. His role in local governance and his contributions to municipal administration left a lasting legacy in the region.
Sebastian Zinser, a 17th-century scholar and theologian from Tübingen, is another prominent figure. Born in 1622 and died in 1685, Sebastian's extensive writings on religious and philosophical subjects were widely regarded during his time and continue to be referenced in scholarly work.
The 18th century saw the prominence of Anna Maria Zinser, born in 1740 and died in 1791. She was a renowned midwife in Freiburg and contributed significantly to the understanding and practice of midwifery during her lifetime. Her written works on childcare and childbirth were published posthumously, influencing generations that followed.
In the 19th century, Wilhelm Zinser, born in 1801 and died in 1867, was a prominent industrialist in Stuttgart. He made notable contributions to the burgeoning industrial revolution in Southern Germany, particularly in the textile industry. His innovative methods and business acumen were instrumental in the growth and modernization of the industry.
In the early 20th century, Ernst Zinser, born in 1890 and died in 1962, was a respected historian and academic. His extensive research on medieval Germanic history and his numerous publications have left a profound impact on the field. Ernst's meticulous work continues to be a valuable resource for historians studying this period.
The surname Zinser has a rich history rooted in its Germanic origins, spanning multiple centuries and various noteworthy individuals who have contributed to their respective fields. The legacy of the name can be traced through historical records, academic contributions, and significant advancements in local governance, industry, and scholarship.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zinser
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinser, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Zinser 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 Zinser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.5% · 1,119
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 51
- Two or more races1.4% · 17
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 8
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zinser
Zinser 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
#30,477
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 766
-398 bearers (-34.2%)
Per 100,000 0.26
Rank movement Down 9,438 places
2020
#22,107
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,197
+431 bearers (+56.3%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Up 8,370 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #21,039 | 1,164 | 0.43 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #30,477 | 766 | 0.26 | -398 bearers (-34.2%) | Down 9,438 places |
| 2020 | #22,107 | 1,197 | 0.40 | +431 bearers (+56.3%) | Up 8,370 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 Zinser 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 | #30,477 | #22,107 | 27.5% |
| Count | 766 | 1,197 | 56.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.26 | 0.40 | 54.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zinser bearers went from 766 to 1,197 (+56.3% change). The surname moved up 8,370 positions in the national ranking, going from #30,477 to #22,107.
FAQ
Zinser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zinser?
Name Census estimates that about 1,373 living Americans carry the surname Zinser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 249,639 residents.
How common is Zinser?
Zinser ranks #22,107 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.40 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 1,197 people with the surname Zinser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,373), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.4 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.40 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 Zinser.
Has Zinser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zinser went from 766 recorded bearers to 1,197. That is an increase of 431 (+56.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #30,477 to #22,107.
What does the Census say about the background of Zinser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinser, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.4%). 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 Zinser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.5% (1,119 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zinser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.5%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (1.4%). 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 Zinser (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 Zinser mean?
A German surname derived from a place name or occupation involving tin mining or smelting. 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 Zinser (0.40 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 common is the surname Zinser?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Zinser at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.