2000
#96,918
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 174
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Zinsser
A German surname derived from the personal name Zinser, a form of Cinthius, a Roman family name.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 179 Americans carry the last name Zinsser. That puts it at #117,879 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,914,829 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zinsser 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
179
1 in 1,914,829
Census rank
#117,879
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
156
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 156 bearers of the surname Zinsser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 117879th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinsser, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zinsser
The surname Zinsser is of German origin, traceable back to medieval times. It is primarily associated with regions in present-day Germany, particularly Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and the Rhineland. The surname likely derives from the Middle High German word "zins," which refers to a form of tax or rent during the medieval period. Thus, the name Zinsser may historically relate to individuals who were tax collectors, rent collectors, or perhaps those who lived on taxed lands.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname appear in medieval records from the 13th century. One of the first documented occurrences is found in a Bavarian tax ledger from 1275, where a Heinrich Zinsser is mentioned as a tax collector. The spelling has remained relatively consistent over the centuries, although variations such as Zinser or Zintzer can occasionally be found in older manuscripts.
The Zinsser surname continued to appear in various records through the centuries. For instance, a notable bearer of the name in the 16th century was Martin Zinsser, born in 1530 in the Rhineland. He was a prominent figure in his town's council and played a significant role in local governance.
Another historical figure bearing the surname was Johann Zinsser, a 17th-century merchant and respected community leader in Bavaria. Born in 1602, Johann expanded his family's trade operations significantly and contributed to the economic development of the region before his death in 1671.
In the 18th century, the Zinsser surname can be found in records pertaining to academic and scientific circles. Friedrich Zinsser, born in 1754, became a noted physician and chemist based in Vienna. His contributions to early medical chemistry were recognized throughout Europe, and his writings on medical practices were highly influential until his death in 1823.
Moving into the 19th century, the name surfaces in the world of literature and academia. Hans Zinsser, born in 1878, was an American physician and bacteriologist of German descent. He made significant contributions to the understanding of infectious diseases and is best known for his work on typhus. His book, "Rats, Lice, and History," published in 1935, remains a cornerstone in medical literature. Hans Zinsser passed away in 1940, leaving behind a legacy of scientific achievement.
Another 19th-century figure was Karl Zinsser, born in 1832 in Berlin. He was a classical musician and composer whose works were performed in many European concert halls. He composed several symphonies and operas before his untimely death in 1876.
The surname Zinsser, with its origins deeply rooted in medieval German society, has been borne by individuals who have made notable contributions in various fields throughout history. Whether in governance, commerce, academia, or the arts, the Zinsser name reflects a rich heritage that continues to be recognized and respected.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zinsser
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinsser, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Zinsser 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 Zinsser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 148
- Two or more races1.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 2
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zinsser
Zinsser 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
#110,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 159
-15 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 13,907 places
2020
#117,879
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
-3 bearers (-1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 7,054 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #96,918 | 174 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #110,825 | 159 | 0.05 | -15 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 13,907 places |
| 2020 | #117,879 | 156 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-1.9%) | Down 7,054 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 Zinsser 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 | #110,825 | #117,879 | -6.4% |
| Count | 159 | 156 | -1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 4.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zinsser bearers went from 159 to 156 (-1.9% change). The surname moved down 7,054 positions in the national ranking, going from #110,825 to #117,879.
FAQ
Zinsser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zinsser?
Name Census estimates that about 179 living Americans carry the surname Zinsser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,914,829 residents.
How common is Zinsser?
Zinsser ranks #117,879 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 156 people with the surname Zinsser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (179), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zinsser.
Has Zinsser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zinsser went from 159 recorded bearers to 156. That is a decrease of 3 (-1.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #110,825 to #117,879.
What does the Census say about the background of Zinsser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zinsser, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.9%) and Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Zinsser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (148 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zinsser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Two or More Races (1.9%), Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Zinsser (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 Zinsser mean?
A German surname derived from the personal name Zinser, a form of Cinthius, a Roman family name. 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 Zinsser (0.05 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 Americans have the surname Zinsser?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.