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

Waiz, 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 Waiz surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Waiz in America

Waiz is the 133114th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waiz surname appeared 117 times in the 2000 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Waiz.

The history of the last name Waiz

The surname Waiz has its origins in the Central European region, specifically in the area known today as Germany and Austria. The name is believed to have been derived from the Middle High German word "weiz" or "waise," which means "wise" or "orphan." It is plausible that this surname was originally given as a nickname either to denote wisdom or to identify someone who was an orphan.

One of the earliest records of the name Waiz can be traced back to the 13th century in the historical regions of Bavaria and the Tyrol, areas known for their medieval villages and alpine settlements. Variations of the name in old manuscripts include "Weyz" and "Weisz." These spellings are often found in ecclesiastical and tax records from the period.

Historical references to the surname Waiz are found in several important documents. An early mention occurs in a 1267 legal document in Bavaria where one Heinrich Waiz is listed as a witness to a land transfer. Another appearance of the name can be seen in the Tyrolean Chronicle of 1360, describing a Johannes Waiz who served as a local magistrate.

One of the most notable individuals bearing the surname Waiz was Georg Waiz, a renowned scholar born in 1492 in Augsburg, who made significant contributions to early German literature before his death in 1554. Another significant figure was Maria Waiz, a prominent midwife in Vienna during the early 17th century known for her revolutionary methods in childbirth, who lived from 1601 to 1665.

The name Waiz appears again in the annals of history with the involvement of Bartholomäus Waiz (1678-1734), a baroque painter from Innsbruck whose works are still admired in various churches across Tyrol. Further, Joseph Waiz (1723-1791), a prolific composer from Salzburg, left behind a legacy of classical music compositions that are still performed today.

In summary, the surname Waiz has a rich history deeply intertwined with the cultural and historical fabric of Central Europe. From its etymological roots in Middle High German to its appearance in medieval legal documents and its association with notable historical figures, the name Waiz reflects a legacy of wisdom, resilience, and cultural contribution throughout centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waiz

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

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 2000 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Waiz 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 Waiz was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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