2000
#15,963
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,672
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.62
Rare Last name
Zollinger
A surname derived from the German word "zoll" meaning toll or customs duty, likely referring to one who worked as a tax collector.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,259 Americans carry the last name Zollinger. That puts it at #14,543 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 151,728 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zollinger 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
2.3K
1 in 151,728
Census rank
#14,543
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,970 bearers of the surname Zollinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14543rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zollinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zollinger
The surname Zollinger has its origins in Switzerland, specifically from the canton of Zürich. The name can be traced back to the Alemannic-German culture in the Middle Ages. It is believed to be derived from an occupational term related to the word Zoll, meaning toll or tariff, likely referring to someone who worked as a toll collector or was in charge of customs duties.
The term Zollinger is rooted in the Old High German word zolah, evolving through Middle High German into its current form. It was common for surnames during this period to reflect occupations, locations, or characteristics of the individual or family. The suffix -inger denotes association or origin, thus Zollinger essentially means a person connected with or responsible for tolls.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name dates back to the 14th century in Swiss historical records. By 1349, a document referred to a Johannes Zollinger in the Zürcher Steuerbuch, a tax book from Zurich, providing evidence of the name's historical lineage. This suggests that the name was well established and linked with administrative or civic duties in medieval Swiss society.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the name Zollinger have made notable contributions. For example, Jakob Zollinger (1821-1880) was a Swiss botanist who contributed significantly to the field of plant taxonomy. Another prominent figure is Konrad Zollinger (1904-1980), a Swiss architect known for his innovative designs and contributions to modernist architecture.
In the 16th century, the name appears in church and municipal records, such as parish registries, further establishing the enduring presence of the Zollinger family. These records often list families in conjunction with land ownership and economic activities, reinforcing the occupational origins of the surname.
Friedrich Zollinger (1880-1945), a German architect, is notable for developing the Zollinger lamella roof, an innovative construction method that gained international recognition. His legacy in architectural engineering highlights the technical ingenuity associated with the name.
Another distinguished person is Andreas Zollinger, an 18th-century Swiss watchmaker whose craftsmanship and precision were highly respected in the horology community. His work contributed to the reputation of Swiss watches as exemplars of quality and reliability.
Lastly, Richard Zollinger (1859-1948), an American surgeon known for the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, a medical condition that impacts gastric acid secretion. His research and findings have had a lasting impact on the field of gastroenterology.
In summary, the surname Zollinger has a rich history rooted in medieval Switzerland, associated primarily with occupational roles related to toll collection. It has been carried by many notable individuals across various fields, including botany, architecture, watchmaking, and medicine, each contributing to the legacy of the name across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zollinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Zollinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zollinger 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 Zollinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.3% · 1,819
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 69
- Two or more races3.5% · 68
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
- Black or African American0.1% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zollinger
Zollinger 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
#15,442
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,897
+225 bearers (+13.5%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 521 places
2020
#14,543
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,970
+73 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Up 899 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #15,963 | 1,672 | 0.62 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,442 | 1,897 | 0.64 | +225 bearers (+13.5%) | Up 521 places |
| 2020 | #14,543 | 1,970 | 0.66 | +73 bearers (+3.8%) | Up 899 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 Zollinger 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 | #15,442 | #14,543 | 5.8% |
| Count | 1,897 | 1,970 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.64 | 0.66 | 3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zollinger bearers went from 1,897 to 1,970 (+3.8% change). The surname moved up 899 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,442 to #14,543.
FAQ
Zollinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zollinger?
Name Census estimates that about 2,259 living Americans carry the surname Zollinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 151,728 residents.
How common is Zollinger?
Zollinger ranks #14,543 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.66 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,970 people with the surname Zollinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,259), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.66 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.66 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Zollinger.
Has Zollinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zollinger went from 1,897 recorded bearers to 1,970. That is an increase of 73 (+3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,442 to #14,543.
What does the Census say about the background of Zollinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zollinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Zollinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.3% (1,819 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zollinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.3%), Hispanic (3.5%), Two or More Races (3.5%). 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 Zollinger (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 Zollinger mean?
A surname derived from the German word "zoll" meaning toll or customs duty, likely referring to one who worked as a tax collector. 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 Zollinger (0.66 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 Zollinger?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.