2000
#120,330
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zirngibl
An Austrian surname possibly derived from a geographical name or nickname related to pine cones or pine trees.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Zirngibl. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zirngibl 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Zirngibl in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirngibl, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zirngibl
The surname Zirngibl has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in Bavaria. The time period in which the surname first emerged is likely during the late medieval or early modern periods, around the 15th to 17th centuries. Bavaria, known for its rich cultural heritage and linguistic diversity, provided a fertile ground for the emergence of unique surnames.
Zirngibl is believed to have been derived from older German words. The name appears to be a compound of two German words: "Zirn," which could relate to the word "zieren," meaning "to adorn" or "decorate," and "Gibl," which may have stemmed from the word "Gibel," meaning "gable" or "roof." This suggests that the original bearers of the name may have been involved in professions related to building or decorating structures, perhaps as builders, carpenters, or craftsmen.
The surname Zirngibl first appeared in written records in the 16th century in Bavaria. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is in a church register from the town of Kelheim in 1584. This record mentions one Hans Zirngibl, who was a local craftsman, adding credibility to the theory that the name was occupational in origin.
Historical references to the surname can be found in various Bavarian documents and records. In 1620, a Leonard Zirngibl is mentioned in tax records from Regensburg, another prominent Bavarian town. Leonard was a prosperous merchant, suggesting that the family had by this time diversified into other professions beyond craftsmanship.
Another notable figure with the surname was Johann Zirngibl, born in 1651 in Nuremberg. Johann was a well-known apothecary, and his contributions to herbal medicine were significant during his time. His name appears in several pharmacological manuscripts, indicating the influence of the Zirngibl family in the scientific community of the era.
In the 18th century, a significant figure named Maria Zirngibl lived in Munich. Born in 1710, Maria was an accomplished painter and is noted for her detailed frescoes in several Bavarian churches. Her works still survive and are considered masterpieces of the Baroque period, cementing the Zirngibl name in the annals of art history.
In the 19th century, another notable bearer was Ludwig Zirngibl, born in 1825 in Augsburg. Ludwig was an influential writer and historian, known for his comprehensive works on the history of Bavaria. His detailed chronicles provide valuable insights into Bavarian society during the 1800s and remain an important resource for historians today.
Throughout history, the surname Zirngibl has been associated with various professional and artistic achievements. The family's contribution to the fields of craftsmanship, commerce, medicine, art, and historical scholarship has left a lasting legacy, particularly in the Bavarian region where the name originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zirngibl
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirngibl, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zirngibl 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 Zirngibl surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 107
- Two or more races4.4% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zirngibl
Zirngibl 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
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
-5 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,876 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-14 bearers (-10.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 14,289 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #120,330 | 133 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 11,876 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.9%) | Down 14,289 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 Zirngibl 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 | #132,206 | #146,495 | -10.8% |
| Count | 128 | 114 | -10.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zirngibl bearers went from 128 to 114 (-10.9% change). The surname moved down 14,289 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #146,495.
FAQ
Zirngibl surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zirngibl?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Zirngibl. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Zirngibl?
Zirngibl ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Zirngibl. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Zirngibl.
Has Zirngibl become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zirngibl went from 128 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 14 (-10.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Zirngibl?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirngibl, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.4%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Zirngibl in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zirngibl appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Two or More Races (4.4%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Zirngibl (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 Zirngibl mean?
An Austrian surname possibly derived from a geographical name or nickname related to pine cones or pine trees. 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 Zirngibl (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 are called Zirngibl?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Zirngibl? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.