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

Wako, 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 Wako surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wako in America

Wako is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wako surname appeared 176 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 Wako.

The history of the last name Wako

The surname WAKO is believed to have originated in Poland, likely in the early 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the old Polish word "wako," which means "a small lake or pond." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near or had a connection to a small body of water.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WAKO can be found in the Duchy of Pomerania, which is now part of modern-day Poland and Germany. In a manuscript dated 1432, a landowner named Jakub WAKO is mentioned as having acquired a parcel of land near the village of Słupsk.

In the 16th century, the name WAKO appeared in the records of the Polish city of Kraków. A merchant named Marcin WAKO is listed as having traded goods along the Vistula River in the year 1572. This suggests that the surname had begun to spread beyond its initial point of origin.

As the centuries passed, the WAKO name continued to be found throughout Poland, with some individuals of note bearing the surname. One such person was Jan WAKO (1652-1718), a Catholic priest and theologian who served as a professor at the University of Kraków.

Another notable figure was Katarzyna WAKO (1761-1832), a noblewoman and landowner who was known for her philanthropic efforts in supporting local schools and hospitals in the region of Wielkopolska.

In the 19th century, the WAKO surname made its way to other parts of Europe, including Germany and Austria. One individual of note was Wilhelm WAKO (1836-1917), a German-born engineer who made significant contributions to the development of early railway systems in Central Europe.

While the surname WAKO is relatively uncommon globally, it continues to be found primarily in Poland, with smaller populations in neighboring countries. Throughout its history, the name has maintained its connection to its Polish roots and the linguistic origins that gave rise to its unique spelling and pronunciation.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wako

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

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

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

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