Zinn
A German surname that likely began as a nickname or altered form related to an older personal name, though the exact origin is not fully certain.
The #5,961 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 53,472 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Zinn is recorded in older German surname discussions, but the excerpts here do not give a firm derivation. One proposal in the 19th-century literature is that it may belong with names such as Zink and Zinz, possibly reflecting shortened or altered older forms rather than a direct word for "tin". Because the evidence is indirect, the safest reading is that it is a German family name of uncertain ultimate origin.
History
The name appears in historical German surname lists from the 19th century, showing that it was already established in German-speaking areas by that time. Modern bearers are found in Germany and in countries with German immigration, especially the United States. The surname is relatively uncommon in the U.S. compared with more familiar German names.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
19th-century surname writers grouped Zinn alongside several short German names that may have lost a final consonant over time, showing how speculative early surname etymology could be.
From the historical record
“gross, ansprechen. Ein andrer Vorschlag, der vielleicht die ganze Familie ungetrennt beisammen Hesse, wäre fol- gender: Pinn, Sinn und Zinn haben wie Schall und Voll deutlich ein auslautendes k abgeworfen, d. h. sie stehen für Fink, Sink = Sindger und Zink. Leicht möglich ist, dass Starr und Storr für Stark und…”
— Die oberdeutschen Familiennamen