Most Americans know their ZIP code by heart. They type it into online forms, scribble it on envelopes and memorize it as part of their address. But not everyone knows the original meaning of the term.

See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Many communities currently have outdated zip codes that may cause ...

Converting ZIP codes to latitude and longitude coordinates unlocks location functionality that ZIP code strings alone can't ...