Surname Zinser - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'Z'
Zinser: What does the surname Zinser mean?
The last name Zinser is of German origin and is generally found in the southwestern region of Germany, particularly around the cities of Stuttgart and Baden-Württemberg. Zinser is an occupational surname derived from the word “zins”, which means “tinsmith” in the Middle High German language. It describes someone who works with and shapes metal objects and containers - in short, someone who works with tin.
A Zinser by occupation would have been involved in manufacturing objects out of tin, such as cooking vessels, cans, pans, door decorations, buckets and lamps. This is significant today, as a reminder of the importance of the craftsmanship of the Middle Ages and its contribution to the development of the modern form of manufacturing and producing for consumption.
The Zinser surname is found throughout Europe, including in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Sweden. In the United States, people with the Zinser surname are widely spread across the country.
The Zinser family has a rich history in manufacturing and the history of the craftsmanship of the Middle Ages. As a tribute to the skill and dedication of those early Zinsers, the craftsmen of today look to the past with admiration and understanding.
Order DNA origin analysisZinser: Where does the name Zinser come from?
The last name Zinser is most commonly found in Germany and other German-speaking countries, such as Austria and Switzerland. It is thought to be a derivative of the more widespread German surname, Ziegler, as many families changed their name to Zinser due to various legal and social reasons.
In the United States, Zinser can also be found, albeit in smaller numbers. In a 1990 survey, Zinser was the 4,188th most common surname in the US. The states with the highest population of those with the last name Zinser were Illinois, California, and Nebraska.
The Zinser surname is believed to have originated from the medieval German word zinser, which means to thrust or prick. This suggests the surname may have been given to someone who worked as a herdsman or herding cattle using a staff.
The Zinser family is still found in significant numbers today. From the 1990 US survey, approximately 1,528 Zinsers were documented throughout the country. Germany and other German-speaking countries, however, have remained the most popular areas of habitation for those with the Zinser name.
Variations of the surname Zinser
The surname Zinser can be spelled in many different ways including Zinser, Zinsser, Zinner, Zeinser, and Zinserle. Other variants of the same origin include Zinzer, Zieser, Zinseler, Zinzerl, Zinsling, Zinsbarth, and Zintl.
The original spelling of the surname appears to be "Zinser", and it is believed to be of German origin. It is thought to derive from the personal name Zinzo, and is likely a patronymic surname. The earliest records of this name trace back to places like in the South German states of Bavaria and Swabia as early as the 15th century.
Surnames from the Zinser family often spread to places such as Austria, Switzerland, Poland and the Czech Republic, where they can be found adopted in various spellings due to the use of local dialects in names. Variations of the surname such as Zinsbarth or Zintl were also very common in these regions.
In the United States, Zinser is variously spelled Zinser, Zinsser, Zinner, Zeinser, and Zinserle, with the first recorded person bearing this name being George Zinser, who arrived in New York State from Germany in 1867. The surname is still widely present in the US, with notable persons being the American biologist and Nobel Prize winner Richard Zinser, and the researcher and author Charles Zinser.
Famous people with the name Zinser
- Wolfram Zinser: German actor, director, and producer
- Steve Zinser: former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Linwood Zinser: American Division III college football player
- Nadine Zinser: German cross-country skier
- Thea Zinser: Austrian alpine skier
- Gerhard Zinser: German physicist
- Dmitri Zinser: German former ice hockey player
- Paul Zinser: American politician
- Alfred Zinser: Austrian alpine skier
- Werner Zinser: former professional skier
Other surnames
Comments or additions to the name "Zinser"
06.01.2024
This information about the meaning of the surname ZINSER is wrong. You don't reference any sources for this information. Whatever research you did for this article is flawed and wrong. The trust and reliability of your website (and DNA testing) is questionable.
The word ZINS in German is translated to English as "INTEREST". Also: added value, tax, payment of non tangible values, fees to use a road, passage on a boat or ferry, etc.)
The earliest record (early 1500's) for those with the surname ZINSER show that their occupation was "Bauer" (peasant). Zinser refers to the peasants working as "tenant farmers". They would live and work on the feudal land of wealthy owners (usually nobility). The tenant farmers were obligated to pay a fee or tax (ZINS) for the use of the land. The tax was usually half (or more) of the harvest or of the animals on the farm. The peasant farmers were obliged to serve in the armies of their lords. This army service usually started at age 15 or 16 and could last several years. However, each year they were to return to the land to help with sowing and harvesting.
In summary, a Zinser was usually a peasant farmer who paid the ZINS to the owner of the land they worked.
"Tinsmith" has nothing to do with the surname ZINSER.
The translation of "tinsmith" into German is "bleshchmied".