Find out how popular the last name VanWagner is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named VanWagner.

VanWagner, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the VanWagner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanWagner in America

VanWagner is the 15673rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanWagner surname appeared 1,862 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname VanWagner.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanWagner to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name VanWagner

The surname VANWAGNER is of Dutch and German origin, originating in the Netherlands and parts of Germany during the 16th and 17th centuries. It is believed to be derived from the Dutch word "wagen," meaning "wagon," and the prefix "van," meaning "from." This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who were involved in the transportation or wagon-making trade.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the VANWAGNER surname can be traced back to the Dutch province of Gelderland in the late 16th century. A merchant named Matthijs VANWAGNER was mentioned in a local trade register dated 1587. Another early record comes from the city of Cologne, Germany, where a blacksmith named Hans VANWAGNER was documented in a guild ledger from 1622.

In the 17th century, the VANWAGNER name appeared in various Dutch and German records, including church registers and census documents. Notable individuals from this time period include Pieter VANWAGNER (1632-1691), a renowned Dutch landscape painter, and Johann VANWAGNER (1654-1718), a German composer and organist who served at the court of the Elector of Saxony.

As the VANWAGNER family spread across Europe, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as VANWAGENER, VANWAGENEN, and VANWAGENEN. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local scribes' interpretations.

One of the earliest known VANWAGNER immigrants to North America was Hendrick VANWAGNER, who arrived in New Netherland (present-day New York) in the mid-17th century. He is recorded as having settled in the Dutch colony of Beverwijck (now Albany) in 1657.

Other notable individuals with the VANWAGNER surname include:

1. Friedrich VANWAGNER (1785-1857), a German architect and urban planner who was instrumental in the development of Berlin's cityscape.
2. Wilhelm VANWAGNER (1800-1867), a German botanist and naturalist known for his contributions to the study of bryophytes (mosses and liverworts).
3. Gustav VANWAGNER (1837-1923), a German-American painter and illustrator who was part of the Hudson River School art movement.
4. Marie VANWAGNER (1854-1932), a Dutch writer and feminist activist who campaigned for women's rights and suffrage in the Netherlands.
5. Otto VANWAGNER (1869-1945), an Austrian composer and conductor who was a contemporary of Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss.

The VANWAGNER surname has a rich history spanning several centuries and various regions of Europe, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who bore this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanWagner

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname VanWagner.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for VanWagner was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of VanWagner has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name VanWagner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of VanWagner, please contact us.

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