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

Waechter, 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 Waechter surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waechter in America

Waechter is the 22281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waechter surname appeared 1,157 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 Waechter.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waechter 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 Waechter

The surname Waechter is of German origin, deriving from the Middle High German word "wahter" meaning "watchman" or "guard." The name likely emerged in the late medieval period, between the 12th and 15th centuries, initially referring to individuals whose occupation involved guarding or keeping watch.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to southern Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. In the 14th century, a Hainrich Waechter is mentioned in records from the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, suggesting the name's presence in that area.

As the name spread across German-speaking territories, various spellings emerged, such as Wächter, Wechter, and Wechter. These variations reflect regional dialects and scribal practices of the time. Some historical documents from the 16th century also reference individuals bearing the name in the Franconian region of Germany.

One notable figure with the surname Waechter was Johann Waechter, a German theologian and philosopher born in 1592 in Malchin, Mecklenburg. He served as a professor at the University of Tübingen and authored several works on logic and metaphysics.

Another historical figure was Eberhard Friedrich Waechter, a German jurist and legal scholar who lived from 1786 to 1853. He served as a professor at the University of Tübingen and made significant contributions to the field of civil law.

In the 19th century, a prominent Waechter was Wilhelm Waechter, a German painter born in 1826 in Schwäbisch Gmünd. He specialized in landscape and genre paintings, and his works were exhibited in major galleries across Europe.

The name Waechter can also be found in historical records from Austria, Switzerland, and other German-speaking regions, reflecting the migration patterns of individuals bearing this surname throughout Central Europe.

One notable Austrian with the surname was Anton Waechter, a Catholic theologian and philosopher born in 1782 in Vienna. He served as a professor at the University of Vienna and was known for his works on moral philosophy and natural law.

In summary, the surname Waechter has its roots in medieval German-speaking territories, initially referring to individuals employed as watchmen or guards. Over time, the name spread across various regions, with notable figures bearing this surname emerging in fields such as theology, law, art, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waechter

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

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

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

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