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Zahl Family History

Zahl Name Meaning

German: nickname or topographic name from a shortened form of Middle High German zagel ‘tail’ which also denoted a narrow piece of land or from a shortened form of a compound name formed with this element as for example Hasenzahl (‘hare's tail’). This surname is also found in Norway. Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish personal name Tsal a pet form of the Biblical name Betzalel. Jewish (Ashkenazic): artificial name from German Zahl ‘number’.

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


Similar surnames: Ahl, Wahl, Bahl, Vahl, Pahl, Dahl, Zahn, Fahl, Gehl, Rahl

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Zahl family from?

You can see how Zahl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zahl family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. The most Zahl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there was 1 Zahl family living in London. This was 100% of all the recorded Zahl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Zahl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zahl surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Zahl ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zahl. 22% of Zahl men worked as a Laborer and 20% of Zahl women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zahl were Farm and Stenographer. .

View Census Data for Zahl | 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.

United States shown, England data unavailable

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    22%
  • Carpenter
    13%
  • Painter
    10%
  • Farm
    10%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    20%
  • Seamstress
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    10%
  • Stenographer
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Zahl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Zahl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zahl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Australian census records for Zahl

Passenger Lists

There are 1,000 immigration records available for the last name Zahl. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Australia, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Zahl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 27,000 military records available for the last name Zahl. For the veterans among your Zahl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Zahl military records

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What is the average Zahl lifespan?

Between 1954 and 2003, in the United States, Zahl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Zahl in 1954 was 33, and 87 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zahl

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Zahl family tree

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