2000
#1,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,315
First available Census row
Per 100,000 6.42
Uncommon Last name
Zimmer
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in or worked in a room, chamber, or dwelling.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 18,968 Americans carry the last name Zimmer. That puts it at #2,128 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 5.53 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 18,070 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zimmer surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Zimmer with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
19K
1 in 18,070
Census rank
#2,128
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
5.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
17K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 16,541 bearers of the surname Zimmer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 5.53 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2128th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zimmer
The surname Zimmer has its roots in the German language and is believed to have originated in the regions of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. It is derived from the German word "Zimmermann," which means "carpenter" or "woodworker." This suggests that the name was likely given to those who worked as carpenters or woodworkers during the Middle Ages.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Zimmer can be traced back to the 13th century in various German-speaking regions. In medieval times, surnames were often derived from occupations, and the name Zimmer was no exception. It was commonly used to identify individuals involved in the construction and woodworking trades.
One of the earliest known references to the name Zimmer can be found in the Nuremberg Chronicle, a German chronicle published in 1493. This historical document mentions a Hans Zimmer, a prominent figure in the city of Nuremberg during the 15th century.
Another notable historical figure with the surname Zimmer was Johann Georg Zimmermann (1728-1795), a Swiss philosopher and writer. He was best known for his work "On National Pride," which explored themes of patriotism and national identity. His influential writings contributed to the intellectual discourse of his time.
In the 16th century, a Johann Zimmer (1518-1553) was a renowned composer and organist from Germany. He composed several works for the organ and is considered one of the important figures in the development of early Protestant church music.
The name Zimmer has also been associated with place names in various regions of Germany and Switzerland. For instance, the town of Zimmerwald in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, is believed to have derived its name from the German word "Zimmer," referring to the construction of houses or buildings in the area.
Other notable individuals with the surname Zimmer include Hans Zimmer (born 1957), a German film composer and record producer best known for his work on acclaimed movies such as "Inception," "Interstellar," and "Dunkirk." Additionally, there is Heiner Zimmer (born 1948), a German theoretical physicist and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of quantum mechanics.
Throughout history, the surname Zimmer has been associated with various occupations, artistic pursuits, and scholarly endeavors. While its origins can be traced back to the woodworking and construction trades, the name has evolved to encompass a diverse range of individuals and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zimmer
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Zimmer bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Zimmer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 15,332
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 490
- Two or more races2.8% · 460
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 126
- Black or African American0.4% · 70
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 63
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zimmer
Zimmer appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#2,111
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 17,146
-169 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 5.81
Rank movement Down 204 places
2020
#2,128
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 16,541
-605 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 5.53
Rank movement Down 17 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #1,907 | 17,315 | 6.42 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,111 | 17,146 | 5.81 | -169 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 204 places |
| 2020 | #2,128 | 16,541 | 5.53 | -605 bearers (-3.5%) | Down 17 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Zimmer surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,111 | #2,128 | -0.8% |
| Count | 17,146 | 16,541 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 5.81 | 5.53 | -4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zimmer bearers went from 17,146 to 16,541 (-3.5% change). The surname moved down 17 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,111 to #2,128.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Zimmer
FAQ
Zimmer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zimmer?
Name Census estimates that about 18,968 living Americans carry the surname Zimmer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 18,070 residents.
How common is Zimmer?
Zimmer ranks #2,128 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 5.53 per 100,000 residents, which is about 6 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 16,541 people with the surname Zimmer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (18,968), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 5.53 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 5.53 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 6 of them to have the surname Zimmer.
Has Zimmer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zimmer went from 17,146 recorded bearers to 16,541. That is a decrease of 605 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,111 to #2,128.
What does the Census say about the background of Zimmer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zimmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Zimmer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (15,332 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zimmer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Zimmer (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Zimmer mean?
An occupational surname referring to someone who lived in or worked in a room, chamber, or dwelling. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Zimmer (5.53 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Zimmer?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.