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

Zwiefel, 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 Zwiefel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Zwiefel in America

Zwiefel is the 100791st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Zwiefel surname appeared 179 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 Zwiefel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Zwiefel 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 Zwiefel

The surname Zwiefel has its origins in German-speaking regions, particularly in Switzerland. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is rooted in the German word Zweifel, which translates to "doubt" or "hesitation" in English. This name could have been occupational, given to someone who dealt with legal matters, or possibly a nickname for someone known to be skeptical or cautious.

The areas closely associated with Zwiefel include the Swiss cantons of Zürich and Aargau, where German dialects were prevalent. Variations in spelling such as Zwifel and Zweifel can be found in old records, reflecting regional dialects and the phonetic spellings of the time. The name does not appear in records as extensively as some other surnames but has nonetheless been documented in historical manuscripts and local registries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is Johann Zweifel, who was mentioned in a Zürich tax register from the year 1379. In the 15th century, a notable individual was Peter Zweifel, recorded in 1452 as a landowner in Aargau. Further documentation from the Swiss Reformation period mentions Heinrich Zweifel, born in 1529, a theologian who played a role in the early Protestant movement.

The name also appears in later historical contexts. For instance, Hans Jacob Zweifel (1652–1705) was a Swiss clockmaker whose innovations were notable during his era. By the 18th century, the name had spread into the German regions, with Johann Georg Zweifel (1712–1761) being a prominent merchant in Bavaria.

In more recent history, the name Zwiefel is associated with Arthur Zweifel, born in 1879, a Swiss-American furniture designer whose works gained recognition in the early 20th century. The surname continues to hold significance both culturally and historically, particularly in Swiss genealogical research. Through these various individuals and records, the name's rich heritage as a part of Swiss and German history is evident.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Zwiefel

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

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

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

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