The History of Zip Codes: Why They Appeared and How They Began to Work

The system of post indexes, in other words «Zip code» has existed for more than 60 years. But many people do not know the history or do not understand the mechanism of this system.

How did it appear, what are the reasons for its creation, what is it? We will try to answer all these questions below in this article.

1.What is it?

If we decipher the abbreviation «ZIP», it means «Zone Improvement Plan», and as we have already said, it is a postal code system in the . The functions of the system in any other country are the same as in America: expedited delivery and sorting of mail.

The term zip code was originally registered as a service mark (a type of trademark) by the US Postal Service, but its registration has since expired.
Currently, Zip Codes are a combination of numbers. Each country has a different length of the combination. For example, in America Zip-codes consist of nine digits and a hyphen, in Russia there are six digits in each code.

2. History of the origin of the Zip Code System

The codes appeared in the postal system in 1940-s. They consisted of two digits and belonged to each postal district of a city. This system was considered a good innovation, but they wanted to expand it. Then, closer to the 1960s, the system began to be improved.

The suggestion to change the system for the better came from Robert Moon. This man was born in 1917 in Williamsport , Pennsylvania . He has been called the «father» of the index system or «Mr. Zip Code.»

It was he who, in 1944, while working as a postal inspector in the city of Philadelphia , proposed the three-digit zip code system. However, this system spread and began to be tested only in the 1960s.

Now, the ZIP code contained five digits, where the first three indicated the center for sorting letters, parcels and parcels, and the remaining two indicated the number of the post office where they had to be delivered.

Since 1967, the Zip code system has become mandatory throughout America. At the same time, a funny cartoon character named Mr. Zip, or Zip, appeared on the TV screens of U.S. residents, urging citizens not to ignore the new system. Videos, posters with a cute mail hero were distributed. Creating a character was a brilliant solution for spreading the zip code system, as it successfully influenced the development and use of the system.

3. Zip codes in the world

As mankind evolved, the population grew and cities expanded, mail delivery became more difficult. Initially, the use of a zip code system concerned only large cities. Cities began to be divided into postal regions (postal zones), which were given their own unique codes.

Thus, London was divided into 10 separate postal zones by 1857. Liverpool as divided in 1864. The mass division of European cities began at the beginning of the First World War.

Consider other oddities and when the system was introduced: Germany in 1941, Argentina in 1958, Switzerland in 1964. In Great Britain such a system was introduced in 1959 in the city of Norwich. The zip code system was not officially introduced nationwide until 1974.

The first postal codes appeared in the Soviet Union in 1932. It was a sequence of numbers and letters, in which the city, state and directly the number of the post office were encoded. However, the outbreak of World War II made it impossible to use the postal codes on letters, and they returned to envelopes only by 1971.

The date of introduction of the postal code system in the USSR is considered 1971. The territory of the country was conventionally divided into zones according to the direction from the capital. For example, the first zone is Moscow and the direction is to the north, the second is to the west, the third is to the south, etc. But while the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus retained the old indexation, in many former Soviet republics it has changed.

4. Postal codes today

Postal codes could be divided into two types: numeric and alphanumeric. In the USSR, and later in Russia, the first type of index is used. It consists of six digits, where the first three are the city code, and the rest are the number of the post office.

Although zip codes are usually limited to a geographic area, there are instances where a single zip code is assigned to a particular address or office where a large amount of mail is sent. Examples include government offices or large firms. This form of postal code is used in the CEDEX´i system in France.

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Eircode. Unique 7-Character Code Consisting of Letters and Numbers

In addition to the classic zip codes, there is another index system called Eircode. The Eircode index system was introduced in July 2015. Almost all addresses received special codes — Eircode. This applied to all residences located in the city and in the countryside, as well as all apartments and business premises. Even parking lots with numbered bays received an Eircode. Also, the Eircode necessarily belongs to the bay where the house in the bay is located.

9-digit United States Zip Codes

In this article, we will break down the topic concerning postal codes + 4. Zip codes plus 4 are the last 4-digit ciphers of the full 9-digit zip codes. A 9-digit zip code has two parts. The first five digits represent the post office or delivery area. The last four digits represent specific delivery routes within the delivery areas. The +4 Zip Code helps the USPS quickly sort and distribute mail.

The Unobvious Side of Residential Zip Codes: How Does Our Quality of Life Depend on Them?

Life expectancy is directly related to where exactly we live. For example, a child born in California or New York City may live to be 80 years old, but an infant born in Mississippi is less likely to live to those years. Such conclusions can be drawn from the census, which uses zip codes.

Postal System and Mail Delivery in the Past

Postal communication first appeared about 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia to convey information imprinted in the form of clay writing. Postal communication in Egypt is no less ancient. Initially such services were used mainly for military purposes and were not intended for communication between civilians.

What is a Zip / Postal Code On a Credit Card?

There is a term credit card zip code, which means an additional type of security. This form of security is used to verify the person who uses the credit card: whether it is the owner or an authorized user. This index is related to the five-digit postal code of the cardholder’s billing address. In today’s world, it is already rare to be asked for a PIN to make a purchase, which means danger. After all, if your card has fallen into the hands of fraudsters, they can use it.

USА ZIP Codes Boundaries 2022

The zip codes used in the United States are generic zip codes. Such codes help the United States Postal Service (USPS) distribute and deliver mail efficiently and quickly. The term «ZIP» itself refers to a zone improvement plan. In 1963, a five-digit code was widely used, which was later expanded by four more digits after the dash (ZIP+4). The new four digits facilitate accurate grouping of mail during the delivery procedure.

How to Find Zip Codes / Postal Codes Online

Until 100 years ago, postal codes in the United States were a state, city, street and house number, but that changed in the sixties. There were several objective reasons for this change: there was a lot more mail, which caused confusion and slowed things down a lot; finally there was special equipment that allowed mail to be handled.

All You Need to Know About Zip Code/Postal Codes Types and Its Uses

There are 4 main types of ZIP codes, these are: P.O. box; unique; military; standard.

What Is a ZIP Code? History, How They Work, and What are They for?

Before we start studying the history of ZIP codes, their purpose and algorithms of work, let’s understand what they are, whether they exist in other countries and what their principles of work are.

How to Avoid «Zip Code Invalid» Error Message. Guide to Invalid Zip and Incorrect Postal Codes.

To send a parcel or letter, you need to fill out certain information. The situation when the sender gives incorrect information is very common. As a rule, the mistakes are minor: a letter in the first or last name is missing, a typo due to inattention. Sometimes there are serious mistakes such as wrong address or wrong zip code.

Facts About Zip Codes

Every country uses a different postal code system. Zip codes were invented to speed up sorting and delivery of letters and parcels. Let’s look at the options for postal code symbols:

9 Questions Zip Code Map Can Answer

The ZIP code was invented in 1963 by the U.S. Postal Service. It was done in order to control more accurately Since that time a variety of innovations have been introduced in the original plan to improve the areas from which the acronym «ZIP» derives its name. One such refinement is the introduction of four-digit codes in 1983.