Explore the Family Name Zanger

The meaning of Zanger

1. Dutch: from Dutch zanger ‘singer’, hence an occupational name for a singer or chorister, or a nickname for someone who was always singing. Compare German Sanger. 2. German: variant of Zenger. 3. Jewish (Ashkenazic): metonymic occupational name from German Zange ‘pincers, pliers’ + the agent suffix -er. Some characteristic forenames: German Armin, Manfred. Jewish Meier, Aron.

Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.

How common is the last name Zanger in the United States?

Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Zanger has seen some shifts in popularity over the years. In 2000, Zanger was ranked 34,210 in terms of popularity but slightly decreased to the rank of 35,622 by 2010, marking a decline of 4.13%. The count of individuals with this last name also increased marginally from 627 in 2000 to 631 in 2010, an increase of 0.64%. However, when measured as a proportion per 100,000 people, the prevalence of the Zanger surname fell by 8.7% over the decade.

20002010Change
Rank#34,210#35,622-4.13%
Count6276310.64%
Proportion per 100k0.230.21-8.7%

Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zanger

In terms of ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data reveals that the majority of individuals with the Zanger surname identified as White, accounting for 97.45% in 2000 and 97.31% in 2010. There were no reported individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, but by 2010 there was a small percentage (1.11%) that identified as Hispanic. Additionally, while a small portion (0.96%) identified as belonging to two or more races in 2000, this category had no representation in 2010. Similarly, those identifying as Black decreased from 0.80% in 2000 to zero in 2010.

20002010Change
White97.45%97.31%-0.14%
Hispanic0%1.11%0%
Asian/Pacific Islander0%0%0%
Two or More Races0.96%0%0%
Black0.8%0%0%
American Indian and Alaskan Native0%0%0%