2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Zuehlsdorf
A German habitational surname derived from Zühls, a place name, and "dorf" meaning village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Zuehlsdorf. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zuehlsdorf 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Zuehlsdorf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuehlsdorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zuehlsdorf
The surname Zuehlsdorf finds its origins in Germany, specifically in the region of Prussia. The name is a locational surname, which means it was derived from a place where the initial bearers once lived or owned land. Zuehlsdorf is a compound of two Germanic words: "Zuehls" and "dorf." The word "Zuehls" is believed to derive from a given name or a term related to a personal characteristic, while "dorf" translates to "village" in English. Therefore, the name likely meant "Zuehl's village" or "the village of Zuehls."
The earliest mentions of the name can often be found in medieval records, though specific documentation from those times can be scarce given the variability in record-keeping. For example, the name may appear in land transaction documents, church records, or local governmental registries from the 14th or 15th centuries. During these times, surnames were often adopted for tax or legal reasons, making them more common in official records.
One of the earliest known records of the surname Zuehlsdorf can be traced back to a small village in Prussia that bore the same name. This suggests that the family was likely established in the area and possibly involved in significant local affairs. The name underwent various spellings through the centuries, including variants like Zuhlsdorf and Zülldorf, as phonetic spelling was common before standardized language conventions were adopted.
Throughout history, several individuals bearing the surname Zuehlsdorf have made their marks. Johann Zuehlsdorf (1745-1821) was a noted Prussian landowner whose family significantly contributed to the local economy through agriculture. Another historical figure, Friedrich Zuehlsdorf (1799-1875), garnered attention as a well-regarded local magistrate in the area now known as Brandenburg.
In the 19th century, the name appeared in emigration records during mass migrations from Europe to the Americas, especially when Wilhelm Zuehlsdorf (1823-1886) moved to the United States, seeking new opportunities. His descendants continued to use the name, spreading it across different states and establishing it within various communities.
Karl Zuehlsdorf (1848-1931) was a known author and poet in Germany, contributing extensively to regional literature and preserving many local dialects and folklore. Towards the end of the 19th century, Heinrich Zuehlsdorf (1867-1944) became a prominent figure in the academic world, known for his research and publications in early industrial engineering.
The surname Zuehlsdorf, despite its localized origins, has found its way into various corners of the world, bearing witness to the migrations and travels of its bearers. Records and references to the surname over centuries indicate a lineage intertwined with the social and economic fabric of the regions where it was prevalent. While it may not be as common today, its historical roots offer a glimpse into the lives and times of those who carried the name through generations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zuehlsdorf
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuehlsdorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Zuehlsdorf 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 Zuehlsdorf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.1% · 93
- Two or more races5.9% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zuehlsdorf
Zuehlsdorf 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,437 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-13 bearers (-11.4%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,050 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 8,437 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -13 bearers (-11.4%) | Down 10,050 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 Zuehlsdorf 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 | #145,220 | #155,270 | -6.9% |
| Count | 114 | 101 | -11.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zuehlsdorf bearers went from 114 to 101 (-11.4% change). The surname moved down 10,050 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #155,270.
FAQ
Zuehlsdorf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zuehlsdorf?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Zuehlsdorf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Zuehlsdorf?
Zuehlsdorf ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Zuehlsdorf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Zuehlsdorf.
Has Zuehlsdorf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zuehlsdorf went from 114 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 13 (-11.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Zuehlsdorf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zuehlsdorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Zuehlsdorf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.1% (93 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zuehlsdorf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.1%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.0%). 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 Zuehlsdorf (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 Zuehlsdorf mean?
A German habitational surname derived from Zühls, a place name, and "dorf" meaning village. 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 Zuehlsdorf (0.03 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 Zuehlsdorf?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.