The Zen surname
In the 2010 U.S. Census, 264 people carried this name — #73,464 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 1,111,100 people counted. That is up 28% from 207 in 2000.
In Argentina’s national register
At least 116 people named Zen 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 Buenos Aires Province.
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 Poland’s population register
80 people named Zen have a registered home in Poland.
Of the 110 in Poland’s national register, these are the ones with a permanent address on file. They live in 6 of Poland’s 16 voivodeships, most of all in Lublin.
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 France’s civil register
France’s register of deaths holds 71 people named Zen.
29 of them were born outside France. Those born in France came from 14 départements, most often Vosges.
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
53 people named Zen live in Switzerland.
They live in 7 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.
Who carried it
People named Zen,
with a public archive behind them.
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Daniel Zen 1582–1628 · Catholic priest -
Carlo Zen 1772–1825 · Catholic priest -
Florio Zen 1930– · sport cyclist
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Joseph Zen 1932– · Catholic bishop
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Joseph Zen 1932– · Catholic bishop
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Joseph Zen 1932– · Catholic bishop
Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.
Nearby in the index
Surnames next to Zen.
- Zelazny 586 · U.S. census
- Zelek 462 · U.S. census
- Zell 3,049 · U.S. census
- Zeller 10,595 · U.S. census
- Zellner 3,417 · U.S. census
- Zeman 3,843 · U.S. census
- Zeni 372 · U.S. census
- Zenner 1,146 · U.S. census
- Zenon 1,348 · U.S. census
- Zenone 123 · U.S. census
- Zenoni 110 · U.S. census
- Zentner 1,026 · U.S. census
When the index is not enough
This page says where Zen 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.