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

Wager, 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 Wager surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wager in America

Wager is the 9488th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wager surname appeared 3,428 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 Wager.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wager 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 Wager

The surname Wager originated in Germany in the early 13th century. It is derived from the Old German word "wagen," which means "to weigh or measure." The name likely referred to an occupation, such as a weigher or measurer of goods, perhaps someone responsible for weighing grain or other commodities.

In medieval times, surnames often derived from occupations, and the name Wager likely arose in this context. The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in German parish records and tax rolls from the 1200s, with spellings such as "Wagener" and "Waghener."

As the name spread across Europe, it took on various spellings and regional variations. In England, the name appeared as "Wager" or "Wagher" as early as the 14th century, possibly brought by German merchants or immigrants. The Wager spelling became more common in Britain over time.

One notable early instance of the name is found in the 1379 Poll Tax records of Yorkshire, England, which list a "Johannes Wager." In the 15th century, a Robert Wager is recorded as being a member of the Guild of St. George in Norwich, England.

Over the centuries, several individuals with the surname Wager have achieved distinction. William Wager (1592-1668) was an English clergyman and author who wrote works on theology and philosophy. Charles Wager (1666-1743) was an English naval officer who served as First Lord of the Admiralty.

In the 19th century, Lewis David Wager (1855-1933) was a British architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London. Henry Wager (1784-1858) was a British botanist and horticulturist who wrote extensively on plant cultivation.

Across the Atlantic, one of the earliest known instances of the name in America is Robert Wager, who settled in Virginia in 1635. In more recent times, Walter Wager (1923-2004) was an American novelist and screenwriter best known for his crime and mystery novels.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wager

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

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

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

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