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

Zumwalt, 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 Zumwalt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zumwalt in America

Zumwalt is the 10339th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zumwalt surname appeared 3,115 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Zumwalt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zumwalt 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 Zumwalt

The surname Zumwalt is of German origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas around the Rhine River and the Black Forest. The name is derived from the Old German words "zum Walt," which translates to "at the forest" or "near the woods."

The earliest recorded instances of the Zumwalt surname can be found in various church records and local archives from the late 1500s and early 1600s. These records often spelled the name with slight variations, such as "Zum Waldt," "Zum Walde," or "Zumwald." The name was likely given to individuals who lived near or worked in forested areas, perhaps as woodsmen, foresters, or charcoal burners.

In the 17th century, the Zumwalt name appeared in several historical documents related to the German immigration to the American colonies. One notable figure was Johann Adam Zumwalt, who was born in 1693 in Wurtemberg, Germany, and immigrated to Pennsylvania in the early 1700s. He settled in Lancaster County and is considered one of the earliest Zumwalt ancestors in America.

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Zumwalt family spread across various parts of the United States, with some members settling in states such as Virginia, Ohio, and Missouri. One prominent Zumwalt was Elmo Russell Zumwalt Jr., born in 1920, who served as the Chief of Naval Operations for the United States Navy during the Vietnam War era.

Another notable individual with the Zumwalt surname was Jacob Zumwalt, born in 1761 in Virginia. He served as a lieutenant in the American Revolutionary War and later became a farmer and landowner in Kentucky. His son, John Zumwalt, born in 1790, was a pioneer who helped establish settlements in Missouri and was active in the state's early politics.

In the realm of literature, Willa Cather's novel "One of Ours" features a character named Claude Zumwalt, a young Nebraskan who serves in World War I. While a fictional character, this portrayal reflects the presence of the Zumwalt name in the American Midwest during the early 20th century.

Despite its German origins, the Zumwalt surname has become well-established in various parts of the United States, with many families contributing to the nation's history and development over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zumwalt

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

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

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

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