2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zipperian
A surname potentially derived from the German word "Zipper," referring to someone who made or wore zippers.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Zipperian. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zipperian 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
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Zipperian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zipperian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Black (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zipperian
The surname Zipperian has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, primarily from what is now modern-day Germany and Austria. The name dates back to the late medieval period, with the earliest references appearing around the 14th century. It is likely derived from the Middle High German word "zipfer," which means one who gathers or collects, possibly indicating an occupation such as a merchant or tax collector. The suffix "ian" is a common patronymic ending in Germanic languages, signifying lineage or descent.
Records from the 15th century show the presence of the Zipperian name in the Bavarian region, specifically in small towns near the Danube River. One of the earliest documented mentions is in the records of a local council meeting in 1432, where a Hans Zipperian was noted as a landowner and merchant. By the late 16th century, the name had gained some prominence in the region, indicating a stable family presence.
Johannes Zipperian, born in 1501 and died in 1568, was a notable figure who served as a town clerk in Augsburg. His administrative work and meticulous record-keeping are well-documented in municipal archives, highlighting the early administrative roles members of this family took on. Another early reference is found in a 1615 church baptismal record for Maria Zipperian in Linz, Austria, showing the dissemination of the surname across Germanic territories.
The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) had significant impacts on European populations, and there are mentions of a Wilhelm Zipperian who served as a cavalry officer in the Habsburg army. His military service was recognized in various military documents from that era, though specific details of his campaigns remain sparse. The devastation of the war led to many displacements, but the Zipperian name persisted through these upheavals.
In the 18th century, Franz Zipperian emerged as a notable figure in the arts. Born in 1723 and dying in 1791, Franz was a renowned composer in Vienna, contributing to the rich musical heritage of the time. His compositions, which have been preserved in various archives, include several operas and symphonies that were performed in the Habsburg court.
Moving into the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution saw members of the Zipperian family engaging in new trades and professions. A notable figure from this period is Ludwig Zipperian, born in 1804 and died in 1879, who was an inventor and industrialist. Ludwig's innovations in textile machinery were significant and he held several patents that contributed to the mechanization of the textile industry in southern Germany.
Another impactful Zipperian was Clara Zipperian, born in 1852 and dying in 1927, who became a prominent social reformer in Vienna. Clara's activism focused on women's rights and child labor laws, and her efforts were instrumental in the early 20th-century reforms that improved working conditions and social welfare in Austria.
Zipperian is a surname deeply rooted in the historical and social fabric of German-speaking Europe. Its evolution from a term indicating an occupational role to a family name of notable figures in various fields illustrates the dynamic changes in European history over the centuries. Whether in the realms of administration, music, military, industry, or social reform, members of the Zipperian family have made enduring contributions to their societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zipperian
Among Census respondents with the surname Zipperian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Black (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Zipperian 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 Zipperian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 95
- Two or more races6.7% · 7
- Black or African American1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zipperian
Zipperian 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-3 bearers (-2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,360 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-15 bearers (-12.6%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 13,433 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | -3 bearers (-2.5%) | Down 11,360 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -15 bearers (-12.6%) | Down 13,433 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 Zipperian 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 | #140,157 | #153,590 | -9.6% |
| Count | 119 | 104 | -12.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zipperian bearers went from 119 to 104 (-12.6% change). The surname moved down 13,433 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #153,590.
FAQ
Zipperian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zipperian?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Zipperian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Zipperian?
Zipperian ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 104 people with the surname Zipperian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zipperian.
Has Zipperian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zipperian went from 119 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 15 (-12.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Zipperian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zipperian, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.7%) and Black (1.9%). 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 Zipperian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zipperian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Two or More Races (6.7%), Black (1.9%). 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 Zipperian (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 Zipperian mean?
A surname potentially derived from the German word "Zipper," referring to someone who made or wore zippers. 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 Zipperian (0.03 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 Zipperian?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.