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

Wahi, 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 Wahi surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wahi in America

Wahi is the 109258th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wahi surname appeared 162 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wahi.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wahi 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 Wahi

The surname WAHI originated in Germany, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "wahi," which means "vigilant" or "watchful." This suggests that the name may have originally been given to someone who worked as a guard or a watchman.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WAHI can be found in the town records of Hannover, Germany, where a certain Hans WAHI is mentioned as a resident in the year 1587. Another early reference is from the village of Meiningen, where a family by the name of WAHI is listed in the church registry from 1612.

In the 17th century, the name WAHI appears to have spread to other parts of Germany, with records showing individuals with this surname living in cities such as Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Berlin. One notable WAHI from this period was Johann WAHI (1623-1697), a Lutheran pastor and author who wrote several religious texts.

As the WAHI family grew and dispersed, the name underwent some variations in spelling, with forms like WAHIE, WAHEY, and WAHII being used in different regions. There are also records of the name being associated with certain place names, such as the village of Wahingen in southern Germany, which may have influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the surname.

In the 19th century, some members of the WAHI family emigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada. One notable WAHI from this era was Friedrich WAHI (1811-1887), a German-American entrepreneur who established a successful brewing company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Other notable individuals with the surname WAHI include:

1. Katharina WAHI (1734-1809), a German painter and engraver known for her intricate botanical illustrations.
2. Hans WAHI (1876-1945), a German architect who designed several prominent buildings in Berlin during the early 20th century.
3. Elise WAHI (1892-1976), a Swiss writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and social justice.
4. Wilhelm WAHI (1917-2001), a German-American physicist who made important contributions to the development of nuclear energy.
5. Ingrid WAHI (born 1947), a German-born Canadian artist and sculptor known for her large-scale public installations.

While the surname WAHI has its roots in Germany and can be traced back several centuries, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with individuals bearing this name making notable contributions in fields such as art, literature, science, and business.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wahi

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

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

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

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