2000
#54,522
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 354
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.13
Very Rare Last name
Zisk
A Jewish surname referring to a person of profit or gain.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 382 Americans carry the last name Zisk. That puts it at #64,521 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 897,263 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zisk 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
382
1 in 897,263
Census rank
#64,521
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
333
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 333 bearers of the surname Zisk in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 64521st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zisk, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zisk
The surname Zisk finds its origins in Central Europe, particularly within regions that are now modern-day Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. The name has roots that can be traced back to the medieval period, specifically around the 12th to 14th centuries. This period saw significant migrations and the establishment of settlements, during which surnames were being formalized for the purposes of administration and taxation.
Zisk is believed to be derived from the Middle High German word "zisken," which means "to sip" or "to take a small drink." The name could have been occupational, referring to a tavern keeper or a person who managed drinking establishments. Additionally, it could have been a nickname for someone known to enjoy their drink, reflecting a defining personal characteristic.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Zisk appears in medieval German manuscripts from the 14th century. A notable historical reference includes a certain Heinrich Zisk appearing in city council records in the town of Nuremberg in 1365. These records provide insight into the civic activities and the roles individuals played in medieval society.
During the 15th century, the surname appears in Bohemian records, with Jan Zisk of Prague being recorded as a master craftsman in 1492. Jan Zisk's documentation provides valuable insight into the movement and professional roles of individuals bearing this surname.
The surname further evolved and was recorded in various forms such as Ziske and Sisk. An early 16th-century land deed mentions a Peter Zisk in the region of Silesia, emphasizing the spread of the name across Central Europe. The deed, dating to 1530, suggests that the family was involved in agriculture and land management.
Notable bearers of the surname include Martin Zisk, a renowned printer in Leipzig in the mid-17th century. Martin’s publications contributed to the spread of knowledge and literature during the Enlightenment period, marking his significance in the intellectual history of Europe.
In the 18th century, a prominent Jewish family in Krakow bore the surname Zisk, with Yehuda Zisk (born 1735, died 1804) being a notable rabbi and scholar. Yehuda's contributions to Jewish theological discussions were widely respected, highlighting the surname within religious intellectual circles.
By the 19th century, the surname Zisk had made its way to the Americas. Samuel Zisk (born 1845, died 1892) immigrated to the United States, where he became a successful merchant in New York City. His integration into American society marked the surname's presence in the New World and its association with the entrepreneurial spirit of the times.
The surname Zisk has clearly traversed various regions and social contexts, adapting along the way and staying relevant through centuries of European history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zisk
Among Census respondents with the surname Zisk, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Zisk 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 Zisk surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.8% · 319
- Black or African American1.5% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino1.2% · 4
- Two or more races0.9% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zisk
Zisk 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
#58,876
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 344
-10 bearers (-2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.12
Rank movement Down 4,354 places
2020
#64,521
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 333
-11 bearers (-3.2%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 5,645 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #54,522 | 354 | 0.13 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #58,876 | 344 | 0.12 | -10 bearers (-2.8%) | Down 4,354 places |
| 2020 | #64,521 | 333 | 0.11 | -11 bearers (-3.2%) | Down 5,645 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 Zisk 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 | #58,876 | #64,521 | -9.6% |
| Count | 344 | 333 | -3.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.12 | 0.11 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zisk bearers went from 344 to 333 (-3.2% change). The surname moved down 5,645 positions in the national ranking, going from #58,876 to #64,521.
FAQ
Zisk surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zisk?
Name Census estimates that about 382 living Americans carry the surname Zisk. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 897,263 residents.
How common is Zisk?
Zisk ranks #64,521 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 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 333 people with the surname Zisk. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (382), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 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 Zisk.
Has Zisk become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zisk went from 344 recorded bearers to 333. That is a decrease of 11 (-3.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #58,876 to #64,521.
What does the Census say about the background of Zisk?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zisk, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.8%. The next largest groups are Black (1.5%) and Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Zisk in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.8% (319 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zisk appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.8%), Black (1.5%), Hispanic (1.2%). 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 Zisk (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 Zisk mean?
A Jewish surname referring to a person of profit or gain. 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 Zisk (0.11 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 have the last name Zisk?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Zisk, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.