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

Zotter, 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 Zotter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zotter in America

Zotter is the 61899th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zotter surname appeared 324 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 Zotter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zotter 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 Zotter

The surname Zotter is likely of Central European origin, primarily found in Austria and Germany. The earliest known usage of this surname can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 13th to 14th centuries. The regions where the name initially appeared were in the German-speaking parts of Europe, often in rural or semi-urban settings.

The name Zotter could be derived from the Middle High German word "zot" meaning "a tuft of hair" or "lock of hair," plausibly referring to a characteristic feature of an ancestor. It might also have connections to the word "zottel," which means "shaggy" or "tangled," potentially describing someone's appearance or occupation.

One of the oldest recorded references to the surname Zotter can be found in a 14th-century Austrian manuscript, where a Hans Zotter is mentioned as a landowner in the region now known as Styria, Austria. This reference indicates that the name was associated with people of some prominence who held land and possibly engaged in local governance.

In the mid-16th century, a notable individual named Matthias Zotter was recorded in Bavarian records. Matthias was a miller by trade, which aligns with the rural occupations where this surname was often found. His familial records indicate a steady lineage of the Zotter name in Bavaria, highlighting its proliferation in the region during this period.

Another historical figure with this surname is Johann Zotter (1634-1702), a well-known merchant from the city of Graz in Austria. He was influential in local trade and made several significant contributions to the economic development of the region. His entrepreneurial spirit and success in commerce established the Zotter name as one of respectability and wealth.

In the 18th century, Theresa Zotter, born in 1752, was noted for her philanthropic work in Salzburg. She used her inherited wealth to fund several educational and religious institutions, cementing the Zotter name in the annals of charitable history. Theresa’s contributions were so impactful that her name appears in various ecclesiastical records of the time.

Moving into the 19th century, Franz Zotter (1811-1887) emerged as a prominent intellectual figure. He was an academic and author based in Vienna, whose works on philosophy and natural sciences were highly regarded in European scholarly circles. Franz's legacy includes numerous published works and a long tenure as a professor, which significantly influenced the educational landscape in Austria.

These historical figures underscore the diverse roles that individuals with the Zotter surname have played over the centuries. From landowners and millers to merchants, philanthropists, and academics, the name Zotter has been associated with a variety of professions and societal contributions in Central Europe. The continued presence of the Zotter name in historical documents highlights its longstanding and significant heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zotter

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!