Zutter last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zutter

An occupational surname derived from the German word "Zottler," referring to a wool comber.

Zutter, 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 Zutter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zutter in America

Zutter is the 92358th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zutter surname appeared 199 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 Zutter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zutter 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 92358 89549 3.09%
Count 199 192 3.58%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name Zutter

The surname Zutter has its origins in Switzerland, specifically in the German-speaking regions. The name dates back to the medieval period, with its first traces found around the 12th century. It is derived from the Middle High German word "züchter" or "züter," which means "breeder" or "cultivator." This indicates that the name likely originated as an occupational surname for someone who raised livestock or cultivated land.

Historical references to the surname Zutter are found in various medieval documents. One of the earliest recorded instances is in a 13th-century land registry from the region of Bern, where a "Hans Zutter" is mentioned as a landowner and prominent member of the community. Bern and its surrounding rural areas were particularly significant as they were growing regions during this period, supporting agricultural advancements.

In the 14th century, a notable person with the surname Zutter was Heinrich Zutter, born in 1312 and recorded in the tax records of Zurich. He was known for his involvement in local governance, holding a position similar to a councilman, which underscores the social standing of the family in their community.

By the 15th century, the name Zutter began appearing in other regions of Switzerland, such as in Basel and the Canton of Lucerne. In Basel, records from 1475 mention a Johann Zutter, who was a merchant trading between Switzerland and northern Italy. This reflects the increasing mobility and economic expansion of Swiss families during the late medieval period.

The Zutter family name also appears in 16th-century chronicles in Freiburg im Breisgau, where Wilhelm Zutter, born in 1548, was noted for his contributions to the local economy as a prominent brewer. Breweries were vital to the local economies, and having a surname associated with such a trade indicates the family's integration into key sectors of economic development.

In the 17th century, another eminent figure was Maria Zutter, born in 1625, who was mentioned in church records as a benefactor to local ecclesiastical institutions in Lucerne. Her donations contributed to the construction and upkeep of several churches in the region, indicating the family's continued influence and affluence.

Throughout history, the surname Zutter is a testament to the family's contributions across various sectors, from land cultivation and governance to trade, brewing, and religious patronage, reflecting their versatile and prominent roles in Swiss society over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zutter

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

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 Zutter was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 96.48% 192
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 2.51% 5

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 96.48% 97.92% -1.48%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 2.51% 0.00% 200.00%

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

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

Reference this page

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"Zutter last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/zutter-surname-popularity/.

"Zutter last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/zutter-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Zutter last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/zutter-surname-popularity/.

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