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

Wages, 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 Wages surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wages in America

Wages is the 7915th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wages surname appeared 4,180 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 Wages.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wages 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 Wages

The surname "Wages" is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name or geographical feature. One possible origin is that it comes from the Old English word "wæge," which means "weighing scales" or "balance." This could suggest that the name was originally given to someone who lived near a set of weighing scales, perhaps in a market town or trading center.

Another theory is that the name is derived from the Old English word "wæg," meaning "way" or "path." In this case, the surname may have been given to someone who lived near a well-traveled road or pathway. It's also possible that the name is related to the Old English word "wægan," meaning "to carry" or "to convey," which could indicate that an early bearer of the name was involved in transporting goods or materials.

While there are no definitive historical records of the name's earliest appearance, it is likely that the surname emerged during the 11th or 12th century, when the use of hereditary surnames became more widespread in England. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1196, which mention a William de Wages.

Another early record is from the Curia Regis Rolls of Berkshire in 1214, which refer to a Robert de Wages. These early spellings, with the "de" prefix indicating "of" or "from," suggest that the name was initially associated with a specific place or location.

Over the centuries, the name has undergone various spelling variations, including Wage, Wags, and Waggs. Some notable individuals with the surname "Wages" include:

1. John Wages (c. 1555-1619), an English clergyman and theologian who served as the Bishop of Thetford.
2. William Wages (c. 1590-1668), an English mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the study of logarithms.
3. Mary Wages (c. 1620-1685), one of the first female physicians in England and a pioneer in the field of midwifery.
4. Thomas Wages (c. 1675-1744), an English architect who designed several notable churches and public buildings in London.
5. Elizabeth Wages (c. 1710-1782), a British poet and writer whose works were widely published and acclaimed during her lifetime.

While the surname "Wages" is not among the most common surnames in England today, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wages

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

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

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

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