NameCensus.

UK surname

Zimmermann

An occupational surname of German origin referring to a carpenter or someone who works with wood.

In the 1881 census there were 41 people recorded with the Zimmermann surname, ranking it #27,870 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 281, ranked #15,449, up from #27,870 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Rochdale, London parishes and Wimbledon. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Solihull, Middlesbrough and York.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Zimmermann is 299 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 585.4%.

1881 census count

41

Ranked #27,870

Modern count

281

2016, ranked #15,449

Peak year

2014

299 bearers

Map years

5

1901 to 2016

Key insights

  • Zimmermann had 41 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #27,870 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 281 in 2016, ranked #15,449.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 151 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Zimmermann surname distribution map

The map shows where the Zimmermann surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Zimmermann surname density by area, 2016 modern.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Zimmermann over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 6 #32,278
1861 historical 10 #32,589
1881 historical 41 #27,870
1891 historical 60 #29,204
1901 historical 128 #19,822
1911 historical 151 #17,797
1997 modern 188 #18,324
1998 modern 189 #18,737
1999 modern 202 #18,127
2000 modern 192 #18,683
2001 modern 194 #18,287
2002 modern 212 #17,651
2003 modern 211 #17,513
2004 modern 207 #17,821
2005 modern 224 #16,876
2006 modern 223 #17,036
2007 modern 248 #15,994
2008 modern 252 #15,984
2009 modern 266 #15,711
2010 modern 275 #15,673
2011 modern 273 #15,606
2012 modern 276 #15,427
2013 modern 288 #15,192
2014 modern 299 #14,880
2015 modern 286 #15,270
2016 modern 281 #15,449

Geography

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Where Zimmermanns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Rochdale, London parishes, Wimbledon and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Solihull, Middlesbrough, York, Herefordshire and Huntingdonshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Rochdale Lancashire
2 London parishes London 1
3 London parishes London 3
4 Wimbledon Surrey
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Solihull 012 Solihull
2 Middlesbrough 019 Middlesbrough
3 York 004 York
4 Herefordshire 022 Herefordshire, County of
5 Huntingdonshire 012 Huntingdonshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Zimmermann

These lists show first names that appear often with the Zimmermann surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Zimmermann

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Zimmermann, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Zimmermann surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Zimmermann household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Zimmermann is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Zimmermann is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Zimmermann falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Zimmermann is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Zimmermann, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Zimmermann

The surname Zimmermann is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "zimmer," meaning "room" or "chamber," and "mann," meaning "man." The name was originally an occupational surname given to carpenters or woodworkers who specialized in building the timber frames of houses and other structures. The earliest recorded examples of the name date back to the 13th century in Germany.

The name Zimmermann is most commonly found in the southern and central regions of Germany, particularly in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, and Hesse. It is also prevalent in German-speaking countries such as Austria and Switzerland. The name has several variations in spelling, including Zimmerman, Zimmer, and Timmermann.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was Johann Georg Zimmermann (1728-1795), a Swiss philosopher, naturalist, and physician who served as the court physician to King George III of England. He is best known for his work on solitude and its effects on the human mind.

Another prominent figure with the surname Zimmermann was Arthur Zimmermann (1864-1940), a German politician and diplomat who served as the Foreign Secretary of the German Empire during World War I. He is most famous for the Zimmermann Telegram, a secret diplomatic communication sent to Mexico, proposing an alliance against the United States.

In the world of music, Agnes Zimmermann (1847-1925) was a German-born British pianist and composer who was one of the first women to achieve recognition as a professional musician in England. She was a prolific composer, writing numerous works for piano, chamber ensembles, and orchestra.

The name Zimmermann has also been borne by several notable athletes, including German footballer Hans Zimmermann (1906-1984), who played for the German national team in the 1930s, and German-American baseball player Roy Zimmerman (1916-1991), who played for the New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds in the 1940s.

In literature, the surname Zimmermann is associated with the protagonist of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's novel "Die Leiden des jungen Werthers" (The Sorrows of Young Werther), first published in 1774. The novel, which is considered a masterpiece of German literature, tells the story of a young artist named Werther who falls in love with a woman named Lotte, who is engaged to another man named Albert Zimmermann.

The surname Zimmermann has also been adopted by many Jewish families, particularly those from the Ashkenazi Jewish tradition. In some cases, the name may have been adopted as a reference to the German word "zimmer," meaning "room," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the Jewish people's confinement in ghettos during the Middle Ages.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Zimmermann families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Zimmermann surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Surrey leads with 23 Zimmermanns recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.00x.

County Total Index
Surrey 23 11.00x
Middlesex 8 1.86x
Channel Islands 3 23.58x
Midlothian 2 3.48x
Norfolk 2 3.03x
Yorkshire 2 0.47x
Dunbartonshire 1 8.67x
Kent 1 0.68x
Leicestershire 1 2.10x
Sussex 1 1.38x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Lambeth in Surrey leads with 18 Zimmermanns recorded in 1881 and an index of 48.10x.

Place Total Index
Lambeth 18 48.10x
Battersea 4 25.33x
Ealing 4 104.17x
St Helier 3 72.46x
Bridewell Precinct 2 6666.67x
Brightside Bierlow 2 23.98x
Heigham 2 56.50x
Leith North 2 1818.18x
St Marylebone London 2 8.73x
Bonhill 1 54.05x
Charlton Next Woolwich 1 65.36x
Eastbourne 1 30.03x
Leicester St Margaret 1 8.62x
Streatham 1 31.45x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Zimmermann surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Maria 3
Catherine 2
Margaret 2
Anna 1
Annette 1
Annie 1
Caroline 1
Clemantine 1
Clementine 1
Eliza 1
Flavie 1
Gertha 1
Gertrude 1
Helena 1
Martha 1
Theresa 1
Therese 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Zimmermann surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Carl 2
Charles 2
Henry 2
Albert 1
Alexandre 1
Edward 1
Felix 1
Ferdenand 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Hermann 1
Max 1
Moritz 1
Nicholas 1
Philip 1
Richard 1
Saml. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Zimmermann households.

FAQ

Zimmermann surname: questions and answers

How common was the Zimmermann surname in 1881?

In 1881, 41 people were recorded with the Zimmermann surname. That placed it at #27,870 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Zimmermann surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 281 in 2016. That gives Zimmermann a modern rank of #15,449.

What does the Zimmermann surname mean?

An occupational surname of German origin referring to a carpenter or someone who works with wood.

What does the Zimmermann map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Zimmermann bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.