2000
#49,767
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 396
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Zoss
A German surname originating from a nickname for a person with unkempt hair.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 599 Americans carry the last name Zoss. That puts it at #44,341 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.17 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 572,211 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zoss 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
599
1 in 572,211
Census rank
#44,341
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
522
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 522 bearers of the surname Zoss in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.17 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 44341st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zoss
The surname Zoss has its origins in Switzerland, specifically within the German-speaking regions of the country. The roots of the name can be traced back to the medieval period, where it was predominantly found in the cantons of Bern and Zurich. Zoss is believed to be a variation of the surname Zaugg or Zahnd, names that were common in the Swiss Confederacy and thought to derive from older Germanic and Alemannic words. The name Zoss itself has evolved over centuries, with various spellings such as Zoss, Zaus, and Zas appearing in different historical documents.
Historical references to the surname Zoss can be found in various parish records and tax registers. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is from the 16th century, where a Christoph Zoss is mentioned in church records in Bern around 1575. These old documents reveal that the Zoss family were primarily involved in agriculture and local governance, making significant contributions to their communities.
One notable figure bearing the surname Zoss is Hans Zoss, born in 1602 in the canton of Zurich. Hans Zoss was a respected local magistrate and farmer, known for his fair judgements and community leadership. He died in 1672 and was commemorated in local historical writings for his contributions to the region.
In the 18th century, the name Zoss appeared in emigration records, as several families bearing the surname moved to the United States for better economic opportunities. Johannes Zoss, born in 1720 in Bern, migrated to Pennsylvania in 1750. His descendants played a role in the American Revolutionary War and were significant members of their local communities.
The surname Zoss also made its way into religious leadership during the 19th century. Wilhelm Zoss, born in 1836, served as a pastor in Basel and later became an influential theologian. His writings and sermons were widely recognized, contributing to the Protestant Reformation movements within Switzerland.
Another key figure includes Eduard Zoss, born in 1865 in Zurich, who was a celebrated artist known for his landscape paintings. Eduard's works were showcased in several European art exhibitions, marking his contribution to the Swiss cultural heritage. He passed away in 1941, leaving behind a legacy of artistic achievement.
Throughout history, the surname Zoss has been carried by individuals who have made their mark in various fields, from agriculture and governance to theology and the arts. The name’s evolution and presence across regions highlight its deep roots in Swiss heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zoss
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zoss 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 Zoss surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.5% · 462
- Black or African American5.4% · 28
- Two or more races3.6% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 9
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.2% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zoss
Zoss 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
#54,637
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 377
-19 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 4,870 places
2020
#44,341
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 522
+145 bearers (+38.5%)
Per 100,000 0.17
Rank movement Up 10,296 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #49,767 | 396 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #54,637 | 377 | 0.13 | -19 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 4,870 places |
| 2020 | #44,341 | 522 | 0.17 | +145 bearers (+38.5%) | Up 10,296 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 Zoss 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 | #54,637 | #44,341 | 18.8% |
| Count | 377 | 522 | 38.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.13 | 0.17 | 34.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zoss bearers went from 377 to 522 (+38.5% change). The surname moved up 10,296 positions in the national ranking, going from #54,637 to #44,341.
FAQ
Zoss surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zoss?
Name Census estimates that about 599 living Americans carry the surname Zoss. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 572,211 residents.
How common is Zoss?
Zoss ranks #44,341 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.17 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 522 people with the surname Zoss. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (599), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.17 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.17 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 Zoss.
Has Zoss become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zoss went from 377 recorded bearers to 522. That is an increase of 145 (+38.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #54,637 to #44,341.
What does the Census say about the background of Zoss?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zoss, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.5%. The next largest groups are Black (5.4%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Zoss in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.5% (462 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zoss appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.5%), Black (5.4%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Zoss (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 Zoss mean?
A German surname originating from a nickname for a person with unkempt hair. 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 Zoss (0.17 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 common is the surname Zoss?
Want to know how many Americans have the surname Zoss? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.