Zold last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zold

A Hungarian surname derived from the Hungarian word "zsold" meaning "soldier's pay."

Zold, 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 Zold surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zold in America

Zold is the 103655th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zold surname appeared 173 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 Zold.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zold 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 103655 96918 6.72%
Count 173 174 -0.58%
Proportion per 100k 0.06 0.06 0.00%

The history of the last name Zold

The surname Zold is believed to have originated in Central Europe, specifically Hungary. The earliest records of the name date back to the medieval period, particularly around the 15th century. The name Zold is largely derived from the Hungarian word zöld, which means green. This suggests that it might have been a topographic name referring to someone who lived near a green area or forest, or it might have been used to describe someone with a youthful and healthy appearance.

Historical references to the surname Zold can be found in various land and tax records from the Kingdom of Hungary during the late medieval and early modern periods. These documents often listed the names of landowners, taxpayers, and other notable individuals within the region. One of the earliest known mentions of the surname appears in a 1423 land registry document, which cites a certain Miklós Zold as a landowner in the province of Transylvania.

The Zold family name also appears in several historical manuscripts detailing the nobility and notable citizens of Hungary. For example, János Zold (1480-1532) was a prominent figure mentioned in court records during the reign of King Louis II of Hungary. He held a position as a local magistrate and was involved in several legal disputes over land ownership.

Szilvia Zold (1594-1661), another noted historical figure, was a well-known herbalist in her village near the Carpathian Mountains. Her knowledge of medicinal plants and her practice of herbal medicine were recorded in local chronicles, highlighting the contributions of the Zold family to traditional medicine.

In the 18th century, records from the Habsburg Monarchy indicate that a Ferenc Zold (1720-1791) served as an officer in the Hungarian cavalry. His military service was documented in several military rosters and he was recognized for his bravery during various campaigns across the region.

The surname also saw presence in cultural circles. László Zold (1843-1910) was a noted poet and writer who contributed to the Hungarian literary scene during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. His works often revolved around themes of nature, likely an homage to the etymological roots of his surname.

In addition to these individuals, the surname Zold is also tied to certain place names. The village of Zöldhalom in Hungary, founded in the late 18th century, is thought to have been named in relation to a prominent family with the surname Zold who had settled there and played a significant role in its early development.

Through these various records and notable individuals, the surname Zold demonstrates a rich and storied history, deeply connected with the cultural and social fabric of Hungary across several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zold

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

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 Zold was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.22% 163
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 4.05% 7

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 Zold has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.22% 96.55% -2.44%
Black 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 4.05% 2.87% 34.10%

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 Zold was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

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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!

"Zold last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on September 21, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zold-surname-popularity/.

"Zold last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zold-surname-popularity/. Accessed 21 September, 2024

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

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