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

Zosel, 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 Zosel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zosel in America

Zosel is the 90853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zosel surname appeared 203 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 Zosel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zosel 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.

The history of the last name Zosel

The surname Zosel has its origins in Central Europe, most notably within the region encompassing modern-day Germany and Poland. The name is believed to trace its roots back to the Middle Ages, around the 13th or 14th century, a period characterized by burgeoning trade and population movements within Central Europe. The surname Zosel likely originated from the Germanic language base, although it carries phonetic similarities to Slavic names due to the historical interactions and geographical proximity of German and Slavic-speaking populations.

The etymology of Zosel is somewhat enigmatic but is thought to be derived from either a diminutive or variation of a given name or from a nickname. In German, diminutives often have the suffix -sel, which could hint that Zosel originated from a root name similar to Zosimus, a name of Greek origin that means "viable" or "likely to survive." The integration of this root with the suffix -sel was possibly a way to denote a smaller or younger version of the name or to create a familial or affectionate form.

Historical records featuring the surname Zosel are scarce; however, one can trace an early mention in archival documents from the region of Pomerania, a territory historically contested between Germany and Poland. Manuscript references from the late 15th and early 16th centuries note individuals with similar-sounding surnames, indicating the name's existence in this time frame.

A notable early bearer of the name was Heinrich Zosel, recorded in a Pomeranian tax registry in 1485. Another early record includes Johann Zosel, who appears in birth records from Berlin in the 16th century. During the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), a military officer named Friedrich Zosel served under the Electorate of Saxony, indicating the surname's continued presence within German-speaking regions.

By the 18th century, the name became more apparent in official records. For example, records from 1723 mention a merchant named Karl Zosel operating in Danzig (modern-day Gdańsk, Poland). Another figure of note is Maria Zosel, baptized in 1771 in the town of Königsberg, now Kaliningrad, suggesting the name's endurance through the turbulent political changes of the region.

In the 19th century, individuals bearing the surname Zosel emigrated to the Americas. One such person was August Zosel, who arrived in the United States in 1865 and settled in Wisconsin, signaling the surname's migration due to socioeconomic opportunities abroad.

The surname Zosel reflects a rich tapestry interwoven with Central European history and cultural dynamics. Though not exceedingly common, its bearers have spanned across various walks of life and regions, from medieval Pomerania to the New World, encapsulating centuries of linguistic and demographic evolution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zosel

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

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 Zosel was:

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

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

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

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