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

Wagener, 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 Wagener surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wagener in America

Wagener is the 17359th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wagener surname appeared 1,627 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 Wagener.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wagener 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 Wagener

The surname WAGENER originated in Germany during the medieval period, likely deriving from the occupational name "Wagener," which referred to someone who built or drove wagons. The name is derived from the Middle High German word "wagen," meaning wagon or cart.

The earliest recorded instances of the WAGENER surname date back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Thuringia, and Franconia. In some areas, the name was also spelled as "Wagnere" or "Wagener."

One notable historical reference to the name WAGENER can be found in the "Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae," a collection of medieval documents from Saxony, which mentions a "Heinrich Wagener" in the year 1301. Additionally, the "Urkundenbuch der Stadt Erfurt" (Charter Book of the City of Erfurt) includes records of several individuals with the surname WAGENER in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Among the earliest recorded individuals with the WAGENER surname was Johannes Wagener, a German theologian and scholar born around 1420 in Saxony. He studied at the University of Leipzig and later became a professor of theology at the same institution.

Another notable figure was Matthias Wagener (1490-1551), a German jurist and diplomat who served as a legal advisor to several princes and dukes in the Holy Roman Empire. He played a crucial role in mediating disputes during the Protestant Reformation.

In the 16th century, the WAGENER surname gained prominence with Johann Wagener (1512-1581), a German composer and organist who worked in various cities, including Torgau and Dresden. His compositions, particularly his sacred works, were highly regarded during his lifetime.

The surname also has a connection to the city of Wittenberg, where Martin Luther initiated the Protestant Reformation. One of Luther's contemporaries was Johannes Wagener (1494-1562), a Lutheran theologian and reformer who served as a pastor in Wittenberg and supported Luther's teachings.

Another significant figure was Georg Wagener (1593-1668), a German astronomer and mathematician who made contributions to the study of comets and planetary motion. He served as a professor at the University of Rostock and published several influential works on astronomy.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals throughout history who bore the surname WAGENER, reflecting its deep roots in German culture and history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wagener

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

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

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

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