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Zeng Family History

Zeng Surname Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 曾 meaning ‘high’ or ‘add’ in ancient Chinese: from Zeng (鄫) an ancient state (located in present-day Cangshan in Shandong province) granted to Qu Lie son of the emperor Shao Kang (reigned 1940–1880 BC) in the Xia dynasty (2070–1600 BC).

The state was annexed by the state of Ju (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) in 567 BC. The crown prince of the state Wu fled to the state of Lu (located mainly in present-day Shandong province).

He simplified the name of the state from 鄫 to 曾 and adopted it as his surname.

German (mainly Thuringia): variant of Zang.

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


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Where is the Zeng family from?

You can see how Zeng families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Zeng family name was found in the USA between 1880 and 1920. The most Zeng families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 14 Zeng families living in Minnesota. This was about 29% of all the recorded Zeng's in USA. Minnesota and 1 other state had the highest population of Zeng families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Zeng surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Zeng ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housekeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Zeng. 28% of Zeng men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Zeng women worked as a Housekeeper. Some less common occupations for Americans named Zeng were Bartender and Bookkeeper.

View Census Data for Zeng | 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

  • Farmer
    28%
  • Salesman
    17%
  • Proprietor
    12%
  • Bartender
    12%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housekeeper
    50%
  • Bookkeeper
    50%

What Zeng family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Zeng. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Zeng census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Zeng

Passenger Lists

There are 388 immigration records available for the last name Zeng. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Zeng immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Zeng. For the veterans among your Zeng ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Zeng military records

You've only scratched the surface of Zeng family history

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What is the average Zeng lifespan?

Between 1964 and 2004, in the United States, Zeng life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1993, and highest in 1972. The average life expectancy for Zeng in 1964 was 48, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Zeng

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Zeng ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Zeng family tree

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