Zahl (surname)

Zahl is a surname of German origin. It is derived from the Middle High German word "zal," meaning "number" or "count." As a surname, Zahl could have originated in several ways. It may have been an occupational surname, referring to someone who worked as a tax collector or accountant. Alternatively, it could have been a nickname for someone who was particularly good with numbers or who was born on a numerically significant date. It is also possible that it denoted a family known for owning property numbered in a specific sequence.

The surname Zahl is found primarily in Germany and countries with historical German immigration, such as the United States. Variations of the name may include Zähl, Zaal, and others resulting from regional dialectal differences. Records of the surname can be found in historical documents such as census records, land deeds, and immigration manifests.