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

VanWagoner, 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 VanWagoner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of VanWagoner in America

VanWagoner is the 21672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The VanWagoner surname appeared 1,202 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname VanWagoner.

We can also compare 2010 data for VanWagoner 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 VanWagoner

The surname VANWAGONER is of Dutch origin, derived from the occupation of a wagon maker or wainwright. It is believed to have originated in the Netherlands during the 16th or 17th century, a time when the Dutch were renowned for their skilled craftsmanship and trade.

The name VANWAGONER is a compound word formed by combining the Dutch prefix "van," meaning "from" or "of," with the occupational term "wagoner" or "wagonmaker." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely involved in the construction or maintenance of wagons, a vital trade in an era when horse-drawn transportation was essential.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Dutch archives of the 17th century, where a certain Dirk VANWAGONER is mentioned as a wagon maker residing in the city of Amsterdam. This historical reference provides evidence of the name's origins and its association with the wagon-making trade.

In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, many Dutch immigrants, including those bearing the surname VANWAGONER, settled in various regions of North America, particularly in the areas that would become New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. This migration contributed to the spread and establishment of the name on the American continent.

Notable individuals with the surname VANWAGONER include Jacob VANWAGONER (1772-1845), a farmer and landowner in New York State, and John VANWAGONER (1831-1904), a Union Army soldier during the American Civil War. Another prominent figure was William VANWAGONER (1846-1922), a businessman and philanthropist from Ohio, who established several charitable foundations.

In the 19th century, the VANWAGONER family was well-represented in various parts of the United States, with records indicating their presence in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Some variations in spelling, such as VANWAGENER and VANWAGGONER, also emerged during this period.

Among the most notable bearers of the name was Sarah VANWAGONER (1877-1962), a pioneering aviator and one of the first women to obtain a pilot's license in the United States. She made significant contributions to the advancement of aviation and served as an inspiration for future generations of female pilots.

While the VANWAGONER surname may have evolved and spread across various regions over time, its origins remain deeply rooted in the Dutch tradition of wagon-making, a vital craft that played a significant role in the transportation and commerce of the past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name VanWagoner

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

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 VanWagoner 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 VanWagoner 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 VanWagoner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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