Zorn
A German and Jewish surname derived from the Middle High German word "zorn," meaning "anger" or "wrath."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,278 Americans carry the last name Zorn. That puts it at #7,353 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.54 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 64,940 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zorn surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
5.3K
1 in 64,940
Census rank
#7,353
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,531 bearers of the surname Zorn in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.54 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7353rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zorn, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Black (2.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zorn
The surname Zorn originated in Germany, where it can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "zorn," which means "anger" or "wrath." It likely referred to someone who had a quick temper or a fiery personality.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Zorn can be found in medieval German records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of documents from Saxony dating back to the 12th century. The name is also mentioned in the Deutsches Städtebuch, a compendium of German city records from the 13th and 14th centuries.
One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johannes Zorn, a German theologian and reformer who lived from 1491 to 1548. He was a prominent figure in the Protestant Reformation and authored several works on religious topics.
Another notable Zorn was Johann Zorn von Plobsheim, a German jurist and statesman who lived from 1617 to 1662. He served as the Imperial Vice-Chancellor and played a crucial role in the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War.
In the 19th century, the name Zorn gained prominence in the art world with Anders Zorn, a Swedish painter and etcher who lived from 1860 to 1920. He is renowned for his portraits and depictions of Swedish rural life.
The name Zorn is also associated with several places in Germany, such as Zorneding, a town in Bavaria, and Zornheim, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate. These place names likely have their roots in the German word "zorn" or its variations.
Other notable individuals with the surname Zorn include Max Zorn, a German-American mathematician who lived from 1906 to 1993 and made significant contributions to the field of set theory, and John Zorn, an American composer and saxophonist born in 1953, known for his contributions to avant-garde and experimental music.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zorn
Among Census respondents with the surname Zorn, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Black (2.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Zorn bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Zorn surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.7%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Black or African American2.1%
- Two or more races1.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1%
Year on year
2010 vs 2010 Census
How has the Zorn surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2010 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,353 | #7,353 | 0.0% |
| Count | 4,531 | 4,531 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.54 | 1.54 | 0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2010 Census, the number of Zorn bearers went from 4,531 to 4,531 (+0.0% change). The surname held its position in the national ranking, going from #7,353 to #7,353.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zorn
FAQ
Zorn surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Zorn?
The surname Zorn holds position #7,353 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 5,278 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 1.54 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Zorn surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zorn, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.3%) and Black (2.1%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.