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

Waldman, 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 Waldman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Waldman in America

Waldman is the 6167th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Waldman surname appeared 5,549 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Waldman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Waldman 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 Waldman

The surname Waldman has its origins in Germany, with the earliest known records dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the German words "wald," meaning forest, and "mann," meaning man or person. This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who lived in or near forested areas or worked as foresters or woodsmen.

In the early days, the name was often spelled as "Waldemann" or "Waldemanne," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions of the time. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval German documents and records, such as the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which dates back to the 13th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Waldman name appeared in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Bavaria, and the Rhineland. One notable individual bearing this surname was Hans Waldman, a prominent merchant and banker from Nuremberg, who lived in the late 15th century.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent slight variations in spelling and pronunciation, such as "Waldmann" in Switzerland and "Waldemar" in Scandinavia. In the 16th century, a Swiss military commander named Rudolf Waldmann played a significant role in the battles against the Habsburgs.

Another notable figure was Johann Waldmann, a German poet and dramatist born in 1557 in Saxony. He is known for his contributions to the development of German Renaissance literature.

In the 18th century, Johann Jakob Waldmann, a Swiss theologian and philosopher, made important contributions to the field of natural theology and was highly regarded for his scholarly works.

As the Industrial Revolution brought about increased mobility and migration, the Waldman name spread further across Europe and eventually to other parts of the world. One notable figure from this era was Carl Waldman, a German-American artist and illustrator born in 1895, who gained recognition for his paintings depicting scenes from the American West.

Throughout its history, the surname Waldman has been associated with various professions, from foresters and woodsmen to merchants, military leaders, scholars, and artists, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and achievements of those who have carried this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Waldman

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

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

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

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