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

Wah, 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 Wah surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wah in America

Wah is the 18007th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wah surname appeared 1,550 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 Wah.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wah 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 Wah

The surname "Wah" is believed to have originated in Germany, particularly in the region of Bavaria, during the late Middle Ages. It is thought to be derived from the Old German word "wah," which translates to "watchful" or "vigilant." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals who worked as night watchmen or guards.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "Wah" can be found in the town records of Augsburg, Bavaria, dating back to the 15th century. In these records, a man named Hans Wah is mentioned as a resident of the city in the year 1487.

In the 16th century, the name "Wah" appeared in several historical documents, including the records of the Holy Roman Empire. One notable individual was Johann Wah, a scholar and theologian born in Nuremberg in 1521, who became a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation.

During the 17th century, the name "Wah" spread beyond Germany to other parts of Europe. In the Netherlands, a merchant named Pieter Wah, born in 1632, established a successful trading company that operated between Amsterdam and the Dutch East Indies.

The 18th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals bearing the surname "Wah." One such person was Carl Friedrich Wah, a German composer and musician born in 1725 in Leipzig. His compositions, which included operas and symphonies, were widely performed throughout Europe during his lifetime.

In the 19th century, the name "Wah" gained recognition in the field of literature. Johann Wolfgang Wah, a German novelist and poet born in 1812 in Frankfurt, became renowned for his historical novels depicting life in medieval Germany.

Another significant figure with the surname "Wah" was Marie Wah, a French painter and artist born in Paris in 1867. Her impressionist landscapes and portraits were widely acclaimed, and her works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe.

Throughout its history, the surname "Wah" has been associated with various professions, from scholars and artists to merchants and tradesmen. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Germany, the name has since spread across Europe and beyond, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural and historical fabric of various regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wah

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

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

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

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