2000
#24,368
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 963
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.36
Rare Last name
Zirbel
A German surname derived from the pine cone or pine nut.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,199 Americans carry the last name Zirbel. That puts it at #24,869 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 285,867 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Zirbel 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.
Bearers in the US
1.2K
1 in 285,867
Census rank
#24,869
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,046 bearers of the surname Zirbel in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 24869th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirbel, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Zirbel
The surname Zirbel is of German origin, primarily found in regions such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name likely dates back to the medieval period, possibly emerging between the 12th and 14th centuries. The name is derived from an old German word "Zirbel" or "Zirbelbaum," referring to the Swiss pine, a tree native to the Alps and Carpathians. This etymology suggests a connection to a geographic location rich in these trees or occupations related to lumber or forestry.
Historical references to the name Zirbel can be found in local records from Bavaria during the late Middle Ages. The name appeared in various forms in manuscripts and civic records. One of the earliest recorded examples is Hans Zirbel, mentioned in the city of Augsburg in 1453 as a woodworker, highlighting the occupational link to the name. Another early reference includes Georg Zirbel, a noted resident of Munich around 1525, who was a prominent figure in the local guilds.
As time progressed, the Zirbel name was recorded in different spellings in various regional documents. In the 16th century, variations such as "Zyrel" or "Zybel" were noted in parish registers, particularly in rural areas of Swabia. Jobst Zirbel, born in Nördlingen in 1587, was a merchant whose business dealings were documented extensively in shipping logs and trade agreements.
Moving into the 17th and 18th centuries, the Zirbel family name began to appear more frequently in tax records, indicating the family's economic activities and societal contributions. Margaretha Zirbel, born in 1672 in Freiburg, became known for her charitable works and was mentioned in church documents regarding her significant donations.
In the 19th century, the surname continued to be prevalent in southern Germany. Johann Zirbel, born in Ulm in 1803, was a well-known craftsman and inventor, credited with several innovations in woodworking tools. His descendants carried the name into both urban and rural environments, with numerous records of the Zirbel family being involved in local industry and agriculture.
Throughout history, the Zirbel name signifies a blend of occupational and geographical significance, deeply rooted in the cultural and economic tapestry of early and modern Germany. The surname continues to be recognized for its historical associations with craftsmanship and the natural landscapes of Bavaria and surrounding regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Zirbel
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirbel, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Zirbel 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 Zirbel surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.8% · 981
- Two or more races2.8% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 27
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 6
- Black or African American0.2% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Zirbel
Zirbel 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
#24,090
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,045
+82 bearers (+8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Up 278 places
2020
#24,869
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,046
+1 bearers (+0.1%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 779 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #24,368 | 963 | 0.36 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,090 | 1,045 | 0.35 | +82 bearers (+8.5%) | Up 278 places |
| 2020 | #24,869 | 1,046 | 0.35 | +1 bearers (+0.1%) | Down 779 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 Zirbel 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 | #24,090 | #24,869 | -3.2% |
| Count | 1,045 | 1,046 | 0.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.35 | -0.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Zirbel bearers went from 1,045 to 1,046 (+0.1% change). The surname moved down 779 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,090 to #24,869.
FAQ
Zirbel surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Zirbel?
Name Census estimates that about 1,199 living Americans carry the surname Zirbel. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 285,867 residents.
How common is Zirbel?
Zirbel ranks #24,869 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.35 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,046 people with the surname Zirbel. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,199), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.35 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.35 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Zirbel.
Has Zirbel become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Zirbel went from 1,045 recorded bearers to 1,046. That is an increase of 1 (+0.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #24,090 to #24,869.
What does the Census say about the background of Zirbel?
Among Census respondents with the surname Zirbel, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.8%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zirbel in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.8% (981 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Zirbel appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.8%), Two or More Races (2.8%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Zirbel (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 Zirbel mean?
A German surname derived from the pine cone or pine nut. 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 Zirbel (0.35 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 Zirbel?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.