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

Wagers, 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 Wagers surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wagers in America

Wagers is the 9203rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wagers surname appeared 3,544 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 Wagers.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wagers 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 Wagers

The surname Wagers is of English origin, having derived from the Old English word 'wægere', which referred to a person who engaged in wagering or betting activities. This occupation-based surname emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the Wagers surname can be traced back to the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from the year 1166, where it appeared as 'Wagerus'. This historical document provides evidence of the name's usage during the medieval period.

Over the centuries, the name underwent various spelling variations, such as Wager, Wagere, and Wayger, before eventually settling on the modern form of Wagers. Some of these variations can be found in ancient records like the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which lists a 'John le Wagere'.

Interestingly, the Wagers surname is also closely linked to certain place names in England. For instance, the village of Wager Halfe in Derbyshire is believed to have derived its name from the Wagers family who once resided there.

One notable bearer of the Wagers surname was William Wagers (1592-1668), an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious treatises during the 17th century. Another prominent figure was Sir Charles Wagers (1666-1743), a renowned British naval officer who played a significant role in various naval campaigns and battles.

In the literary realm, Mary Wagers (1832-1907) was an English novelist and playwright known for her works such as "The Rector's Wife" and "The Duke's Marriage". Meanwhile, John Wagers (1774-1846) was a British naval officer and explorer who led expeditions to the Arctic regions and contributed to the mapping of previously uncharted territories.

Lastly, Edward Wagers (1810-1882) deserves mention as a notable English lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during the 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wagers

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

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

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

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