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

Zwick, 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 Zwick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zwick in America

Zwick is the 13407th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zwick surname appeared 2,273 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 Zwick.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zwick 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 Zwick

The surname Zwick originated in the Swabian region of Germany during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old High German word "zwic," meaning a branch or twig, suggesting that the name may have been given to someone who lived near a prominent tree or wooded area.

The earliest known record of the name Zwick dates back to the 13th century in the town of Esslingen, located near Stuttgart. A document from 1274 mentions a certain "Henricus Zwic," which is believed to be one of the earliest recorded instances of the surname.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the Zwick family became well-established in the Swabian region, with several members attaining prominent positions in local government and trade guilds. Notable individuals from this period include Johannes Zwick (1362-1428), a respected merchant and alderman in the city of Ulm.

As the Zwick family spread across Germany and neighboring regions, various spellings of the name emerged, such as Zwicke, Zwicker, and Zwicky. One notable figure was Johann Baptist Zwicker (1572-1632), a Jesuit priest and theologian from Bavaria, who authored several influential works on religious philosophy.

In the 18th century, the Zwick surname appeared in numerous German-speaking areas, including Switzerland and Austria. One famous bearer of the name was Franz Xaver Zwicky (1898-1974), a Swiss astronomer and physicist who made significant contributions to the study of dark matter and supernovae.

Another notable individual was Karl Zwick (1891-1957), a German engineer and entrepreneur who founded the Zwick company, a leading manufacturer of testing machines and equipment for materials research. His innovations played a crucial role in advancing quality control and safety standards in various industries.

As German immigrants began to settle in other parts of the world, the Zwick surname spread to new regions. For example, in the United States, one of the earliest known bearers of the name was Johann Zwick (1737-1811), a German immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania and became a successful farmer and landowner.

Throughout its history, the Zwick surname has been associated with a rich heritage and contributions across various fields, including commerce, religion, science, and engineering. While the name may have originated from a humble reference to a branch or twig, it has grown to encompass a diverse array of individuals and accomplishments.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zwick

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

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

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

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