2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Zordel
An invented surname with uncertain origins or meanings.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Zordel. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zordel 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Zordel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zordel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zordel
The surname Zordel has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Europe, primarily in areas that are now part of modern Germany. Linguistic evidence suggests that the surname may date back to the early Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th centuries. It is thought to have originated in the southwestern parts of present-day Germany, particularly in regions such as Swabia or Bavaria, known for their rich tapestry of surnames derived from occupational, locational, and descriptive origins.
The name Zordel is likely derived from an old Germanic word, though its precise meaning is subject to some debate. One theory posits that it could be derived from the Middle High German word zorn, meaning anger, possibly used descriptively for a person with a fiery temperament. Another potential derivation is from the Old German zaredel, relating to terms for a trusted counselor or steward, hinting at an occupational origin.
Historically, the name Zordel appears in various medieval manuscripts and records. One of the earliest references can be found in a 14th-century tax register from the city of Augsburg, where a Henricus Zordel is noted as a small landowner. This suggests that the Zordel family had established themselves within the burgeoning urban centers of medieval Germany.
In the late 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Conrad Zordel, a merchant from Nuremberg. Born around 1474, he was known for his trade in cloth, a prominent industry in the city at the time. Conrad's records appear in the municipal archives, shedding light on his involvement in local politics and contributions to the city’s economic expansion. Conrad Zordel died in 1521, leaving a legacy documented in the town's historical accounts.
Another significant bearer of the surname was Maria Zordel, who lived during the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Born in 1598 in the town of Ulm, she is known from church records detailing her marriage to a local craftsman. Her life was marked by the turbulence of the era, with the Zordel family adapting to the challenges brought by prolonged conflict.
In the 18th century, Johann Friedrich Zordel emerges as an influential figure in the field of education. Born in 1723 in Stuttgart, Johann served as a schoolmaster and contributed to early educational reforms in Württemberg. His writings on pedagogical methods were published locally, and he remained a respected member of the intellectual community until his death in 1790.
By the 19th century, the Zordel surname had spread to various regions within Germany and even beyond due to migration. One notable 19th-century individual was Karl Zordel, a lawyer and politician born in 1832 in Munich. Karl's work in the Bavarian State Parliament included advocacy for legal reforms. His career highlights are documented in parliamentary archives, and he continued to serve the public until his passing in 1891.
The surname Zordel, while not exceedingly common, has a storied history marked by individuals who contributed to their communities in diverse ways. The legacy of this surname continues to be a point of interest for genealogists and historians studying the intricate tapestry of German and European familial names.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zordel
Among Census respondents with the surname Zordel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Zordel 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 Zordel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 109
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.4% · 4
- Two or more races2.5% · 3
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zordel
Zordel 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
#129,825
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
-13 bearers (-9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 16,858 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
-12 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,963 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,825 | 131 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-9.0%) | Down 16,858 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 12,963 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 Zordel 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 | #129,825 | #142,788 | -10.0% |
| Count | 131 | 119 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zordel bearers went from 131 to 119 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 12,963 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,825 to #142,788.
FAQ
Zordel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zordel?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Zordel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Zordel?
Zordel ranks #142,788 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 119 people with the surname Zordel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Zordel.
Has Zordel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zordel went from 131 recorded bearers to 119. That is a decrease of 12 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,825 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Zordel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zordel, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Zordel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zordel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.5%). 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 Zordel (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 Zordel mean?
An invented surname with uncertain origins or meanings. 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 Zordel (0.04 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 surname Zordel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.