Explore the Family Name Zelle
The meaning of Zelle
German and Dutch: topographic name from German Zelle, Dutch zelle (Middle High German zelle) ‘(hermit’s) cell’, from Latin cella ‘small room’. The surname may be topographic, for someone who lived at or near the site of a hermit’s cell, or toponymic, for someone from any of various places called Zelle or Celle, in particular Celle near Hanover (Germany). See Zeller.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Zelle in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Zelle has seen a slight decrease in popularity over a decade. In 2000, it ranked 55,003 in popularity but by 2010 it had fallen to 57,234, marking a 4.06% drop. Despite this, the count of individuals with the Zelle surname increased slightly from 350 in 2000 to 356 in 2010, which represents a growth of 1.71%. However, the proportion of people named Zelle per 100,000 decreased by 7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #55,003 | #57,234 | -4.06% |
| Count | 350 | 356 | 1.71% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.12 | -7.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Zelle
The ethnicity data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows that the majority of people with the Zelle surname identify as White. In 2000, this figure was 97.14%, and by 2010 it had decreased slightly to 96.07%. The census also showed an emergence of individuals with this surname identifying with two or more races, which was not the case in 2000. However, there were no changes in the number of individuals who identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 97.14% | 96.07% | -1.1% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 1.69% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0% | 0% |