Zweber last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Zweber

A surname of German or Dutch origin possibly derived from the word "zweben" meaning to hover or float.

Zweber, 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 Zweber surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zweber in America

Zweber is the 42378th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zweber surname appeared 512 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 Zweber.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zweber 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 42378 45482 -7.07%
Count 512 443 14.45%
Proportion per 100k 0.17 0.16 6.06%

The history of the last name Zweber

The surname Zweber originates from Germany and appears to have its roots in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia, where it was relatively common during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th and 15th centuries. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "Zweber," which potentially relates to the profession of a weaver. This connection to the occupation is suggested by the suffix "ber" or "bauer," meaning farmer or builder, which might indicate a local craftsman community known for weaving.

The regions in Bavaria and Swabia were historically rich in various trades, and occupations frequently became family names, an act which helps trace heritage and familial lineages. The name appears in numerous historical records as local documents from the late 1400s show instances of the term "Zwebere," correlating to guild memberships and local censuses of craftspeople. Manuscripts from monasteries in the area also contain references to individuals with the surname, reflecting its ingraining in the societal fabric.

John Zweber, born in the year 1468, is among the earliest known individuals carrying this surname documented in local Bavaria records. Another noted bearer from the late 16th century is Hans Zweber, mentioned in a 1594 Swabian tax record, showing the family’s established presence in the region. Over the next centuries, the name spread geographically and socially, with additional orthographic variations like Zwieber, influenced by local dialects and phonetics.

By the 17th century, Heinrich Zweber, born 1603 and a respected weaver in his community, gained prevalence and was cited in multiple Swabian town records, solidifying the persistence of the surname. Another historical figure, Wilhelm Zweber, who lived from 1680 to 1742, contributed notably to regional agricultural development and had documents pertaining to land transactions named after him.

In the 18th century, the family name crossed borders, notably with Anselm Zweber, born in 1715, who was recorded as a migrant settling in Alsace, contributing to the diverse cultural melting pot of the region. His records pertaining to local community dealings highlight the migration patterns of families carrying the surname. Similarly, Maria Zweber, born in 1780 in Bavaria, features in baptism records, demonstrating the continuity of the surname across generations and its embedding in local culture.

The surname Zweber's historical significance reflects its occupational roots, regional importance, and trans-generational legacy, spreading through families, trades, and regions while maintaining its core etymological essence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zweber

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

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 Zweber was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.34% 483
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 1.37% 7
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.34% 12
Hispanic Origin 1.37% 7

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

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.34% 95.71% -1.44%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 1.37% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 2.34% 2.03% 14.19%
Hispanic 1.37% 1.13% 19.20%

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

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

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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!

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

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

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

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