The Zell surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,049 people carried this name — #10,520 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 97,100 people counted. That is down 1% from 3,070 in 2000.
In France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 138 people named Zell.
9 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 10 départements, most often Moselle.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they were born
Fichier des personnes décédées, INSEE — Licence Ouverte 2.0 · deaths recorded in France since 1970, by place of birth.
In Switzerland’s population statistics
36 people named Zell live in Switzerland.
They live in 6 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Zurich.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.
In Poland’s population register
22 people named Zell have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 37 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 5 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lubusz.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
PESEL register, Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland (dane.gov.pl) — CC0 · living people by voivodeship of permanent residence, 20 January 2026.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 20 people named Zell live in Argentina.
RENAPER only publishes a name in a province when more than ten people there share it, so the real number is higher. Most of them live in Santa Fe.
Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.
Where they live today
RENAPER (National Registry of Persons, Argentina), surnames of residents by province, December 2021 — CC BY 4.0.
In the Nordic population registers
176 people named Zell is counted in Sweden.
Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.
Counted, by country
Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).
Who carried it
People named Zell,
with a public archive behind them.
-
Matthäus Zell 1477–1548 · theologian -
Christoph Zell d. 1590 · printer
-
Ulrich Zell 1500–1507 · printer
-
Heinrich Zell 1518–1564 · astronomer
-
Heinrich Zell 1518–1560 · astronomer
-
David Zell 1582–
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Zell.
- Zeidler 819 · U.S. census
- Zeiger 1,670 · U.S. census
- Zeimet 543 · U.S. census
- Zeitoun 193 · U.S. census
- Zelazny 586 · U.S. census
- Zelek 462 · U.S. census
- Zeller 10,595 · U.S. census
- Zellner 3,417 · U.S. census
- Zeman 3,843 · U.S. census
- Zen 264 · U.S. census
- Zeni 372 · U.S. census
- Zenner 1,146 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Zell is.
A volume says what happened to it.
Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.