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

Wahla, 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 Wahla surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wahla in America

Wahla is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wahla surname appeared 110 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 Wahla.

The history of the last name Wahla

The surname WAHLA has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged in the 16th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old High German word "walah," which referred to someone of Celtic or Romance descent. It is thought that the name was initially given to individuals who had moved to Germanic regions from areas inhabited by these groups.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WAHLA surname can be found in the records of the town of Augsburg, dating back to 1568. These records mention a certain Hans Wahla, a merchant who resided in the city at that time. The name also appears in various other historical documents from the region, including church registers and tax records from the 17th and 18th centuries.

The WAHLA surname is closely tied to the town of Walldorf, located in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. It is believed that some of the earliest bearers of the name may have originated from this area, which was once known as "Walaha Dorf" or "Village of the Foreigners."

Notable individuals who have borne the WAHLA surname throughout history include Johann Wahla (1592-1657), a German painter and engraver who was renowned for his religious works. Another prominent figure was Wilhelm Wahla (1773-1842), a German philosopher and author who wrote extensively on metaphysics and ethics.

In the 19th century, the WAHLA name gained recognition through the work of Carl Wahla (1821-1888), a German architect who designed several notable buildings in Berlin and other cities across the country. His son, Ernst Wahla (1853-1914), followed in his footsteps and became a respected architect in his own right.

One of the most famous bearers of the WAHLA surname was Gertrude Wahla (1876-1962), a German novelist and playwright whose works explored themes of love, relationships, and the struggles of women in society. Her novel "Die Frau ohne Schatten" (The Woman Without a Shadow) was widely acclaimed and remains a celebrated work of German literature.

While the WAHLA surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of Europe and beyond, with individuals bearing this name found in various countries around the world. However, the majority of historical records and notable figures associated with this surname can be traced back to its Germanic roots.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wahla

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

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 Wahla 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.

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!