2010
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zonneveld
A locational surname derived from a sunny field or meadow.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 180 Americans carry the last name Zonneveld. That puts it at #117,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,904,191 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zonneveld 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
180
1 in 1,904,191
Census rank
#117,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
157
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 157 bearers of the surname Zonneveld in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 117309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zonneveld, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zonneveld
The surname Zonneveld originates from the Netherlands, specifically from the Holland region. It dates back to the late medieval period, roughly the 14th to 15th centuries. The name is derived from two Dutch words: "zonne," meaning "sun," and "veld," meaning "field" or "plain," thus it generally translates to "sunny field."
Zonneveld is categorized as a toponymic surname, which means it is based on a geographic location or landscape feature. The term likely referred to a family that lived in or near a field that received a significant amount of sunlight, possibly indicative of fertile agricultural land. Historical records suggest variations of the name in older Dutch manuscripts, often spelled as "Sonuvelt" or "Sonnevelt" before standardization of Dutch spelling.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Zonneveld appears in 16th-century Dutch church registers. For instance, a record from 1573 notes the name of Pieter Claesz Zonneveld, indicating the presence of the surname in official documents from this period. The presence of this name in baptismal and marriage records illustrates its use among the populace.
Another instance of historical relevance is Cornelis Zonneveld, born around 1600, mentioned in connection to land ownership in the mid-17th century in the northern regions of Holland. His activities as a landowner cemented the name's association with agricultural prowess and land cultivation.
The 17th century also saw the emergence of Jan Zonneveld, born in 1634 and noted in the annals of the Dutch East India Company. He sailed to the East Indies, illustrating the name's reach beyond the Dutch provinces during the age of exploration and trade. His role as a merchant broadened the visibility of the surname.
In the 18th century, a merchant named Willem Zonneveld, who lived between 1740 and 1790, was referenced in Amsterdam trade records. Willem's involvement in the burgeoning Dutch trade markets and his establishment of a family business helped ensure the continuation and recognition of the surname in economic circles.
Historically, the name remained prominent through individuals like Hendrik Zonneveld, an artist born in 1872 who contributed to Dutch impressionism. His works, often capturing the beautiful sunny landscapes of Holland, were a tribute to his surname. His death in 1934 marked a significant moment in Dutch art history.
The surname Zonneveld, with its idyllic meaning and storied past, showcases a rich heritage tied to the land, agriculture, and trade. Its presence in various historical records and prominent figures emphasizes its longstanding significance in Dutch history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zonneveld
Among Census respondents with the surname Zonneveld, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zonneveld 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 Zonneveld surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.9% · 138
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 7
- Two or more races3.8% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.3% · 2
- Black or African American0.6% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zonneveld
Zonneveld appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#117,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 157
+34 bearers (+27.6%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Up 19,140 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #117,309 | 157 | 0.05 | +34 bearers (+27.6%) | Up 19,140 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 Zonneveld 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 | #136,449 | #117,309 | 14.0% |
| Count | 123 | 157 | 27.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.05 | 31.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zonneveld bearers went from 123 to 157 (+27.6% change). The surname moved up 19,140 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #117,309.
FAQ
Zonneveld surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zonneveld?
Name Census estimates that about 180 living Americans carry the surname Zonneveld. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,904,191 residents.
How common is Zonneveld?
Zonneveld ranks #117,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 157 people with the surname Zonneveld. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (180), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Zonneveld.
Has Zonneveld become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zonneveld went from 123 recorded bearers to 157. That is an increase of 34 (+27.6%). In the national ranking it rose from #136,449 to #117,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Zonneveld?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zonneveld, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Zonneveld in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.9% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zonneveld appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.9%), Hispanic (4.5%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Zonneveld (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 Zonneveld mean?
A locational surname derived from a sunny field or meadow. 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 Zonneveld (0.05 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 Zonneveld?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Zonneveld? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.