What is "zorn"

Zorn is a family name of German origin meaning "wrath". Historically, it was predominantly strong in German influenced cities such as Strasbourg, Kempten, Innsbruck, and Würzburg. Especially in the town of Strasbourg, it was one of the most influential families containing over 33 family weapons of the various branches of the family. The oldest recorded ancestor is a Burcard Riplin 1197, noted in a historical chronology U135. His grandchildren took the family name Zorn in 1257.

The family name exists, however, in many countries all over the world. Today, the surname Zorn can be frequently found in Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rheinland-Pfalz, and Thüringen; it is the 979th most common family name in Germany, and an estimated 8016 individuals in that nation bear the name. Austria is another stronghold of the family name, where it is the 997th most frequent family name, borne by an estimated 1000 individuals. The United States is also a country that has attracted many Zorn immigrants, an estimated 3000 individuals.

The Zorn is a river that flows through the Lorraine and the Alsace as the largest and last of the tributaries of the River Moder, before the latter empties into the Rhine. It rises on the territory of Walscheid as the Yellow Zorn (German: Gelber Zorn, French: Zorn Jaune) and becomes the Zorn after its confluence with the right-hand tributary, the White Zorn (Ge: Weißer Zorn, Fr.: Zorn Blanche). It has a length of just under 97 kilometres and drains an area of 757 km². The French spelling Zorn first surfaced in the 18th century. Hitherto the river was called the Sorn, which stems from the pre-Celtic era and probably meant "the flowing one". The upper reaches of the river as far as Saverne are viewed as having great, scenic beauty and are also home to many fine examples of architecture.