This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. Click here for instructions on how to enable it in your browser.
Surname Header Image
Get access to Zimmer family records.Start a 14-Day Free Trial

Zimmer Family History

Zimmer Surname Meaning

German: metonymic occupational name for a carpenter either from Middle High German zim(b)er zimmer ‘wood wooden building’

or a shortening of Zimmermann.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Where is the Zimmer family from?

You can see how Zimmer families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zimmer family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Zimmer families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 29 Zimmer families living in New York. This was about 52% of all the recorded Zimmer's in USA. New York had the highest population of Zimmer families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zimmer surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
Mapbox
© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

What did your Zimmer ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zimmer. 13% of Zimmer men worked as a Farmer and 8% of Zimmer women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zimmer were Clerk and Maid.

View Census Data for Zimmer | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    13%
  • Laborer
    11%
  • Salesman
    7%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    8%
  • Teacher
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Maid
    7%

What Zimmer family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 77,000 census records available for the last name Zimmer. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zimmer census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Zimmer

Passenger Lists

There are 13,000 immigration records available for the last name Zimmer. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Zimmer immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 26,000 military records available for the last name Zimmer. For the veterans among your Zimmer ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Zimmer military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zimmer family history

Discover More

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Zimmer family tree

Explore Your Tree
Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial