Zoch last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Zoch is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Zoch.

Meaning of Zoch

A German surname derived from the word "Zoch" meaning "pig" or "swine".

Zoch, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Zoch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zoch in America

Zoch is the 30277th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zoch surname appeared 773 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Zoch.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zoch to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 30277 24914 19.43%
Count 773 937 -19.18%
Proportion per 100k 0.26 0.35 -29.51%

The history of the last name Zoch

The surname Zoch is believed to have its origins in Central Europe, particularly in the German-speaking regions. This surname dates back to at least the medieval period, with early records indicating its presence in areas that are now parts of modern-day Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic. The name Zoch is thought to derive from an old German word "zochen," meaning "to pull" or "to drag," which could indicate an occupational origin, perhaps referring to someone who worked as a carder or someone involved in the wool trade.

Historical references to the surname Zoch can be found in various medieval documents. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the 13th century in German land records. For example, a document from 1283 mentions a Heinrich Zoch, a landowner in what is now Bavaria. The Zoch name also appears in church records, reflecting both baptisms and marriages, indicating a well-established presence in the region.

In terms of place names, there is evidence that the Zoch family name was associated with certain localities. For instance, the 14th-century town records of Leipzig mention a Johann Zoch, who was a notable figure in the community. Such records often spelled the name as Zoch or sometimes as Zoche, reflecting the regional dialects and phonetic variations of the time.

Several notable individuals with the surname Zoch have marked history. One such figure is Hans Zoch, a 16th-century merchant from Nuremberg, who was known for his extensive trade activities throughout Europe. Another example is Maria Zoch, born in 1643, who was noted for her contributions to the local arts scene in Vienna. The 18th century brought forth Johann Friedrich Zoch, born in 1710, a composer and musician in Dresden, whose works were well-regarded during his lifetime.

In the academic realm, Dr. Erwin Zoch (1780-1843) became a respected historian and professor at the University of Heidelberg, contributing significantly to the study of medieval German history. Moving into more recent history, in the early 20th century, Wilhelm Zoch (1895-1955) made his mark as a pioneering engineer in Berlin, with several patents to his name, indicating the lasting influence of this surname through various fields and epochs.

These historical records and notable individuals demonstrate the rich and varied legacy of the Zoch surname, reflecting its deep roots and enduring presence in European history. The surname has evolved over centuries, yet it remains a testament to the lives and contributions of those who bore it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zoch

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Zoch.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Zoch was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.47% 738
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.16% 9
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.78% 6
Hispanic Origin 1.94% 15

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Zoch has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.47% 96.91% -1.50%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.16% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.78% 0.96% -20.69%
Hispanic 1.94% 1.49% 26.24%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Zoch was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Zoch, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Zoch last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoch-surname-popularity/.

"Zoch last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoch-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Zoch last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zoch-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.