Wallich last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wallich

A surname of German origin meaning "foreigner" or "non-native".

Wallich, 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 Wallich surname is from the 2000 census data.

Popularity of Wallich in America

Wallich is the 127186th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wallich surname appeared 124 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 Wallich.

The history of the last name Wallich

The surname Wallich is of Germanic origin, with its earliest roots in the region that comprises present-day Germany. The name is believed to have originated during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century, in areas such as Saxony and Bavaria. The etymology of the name suggests it derives from the old German word "Wálh," meaning foreigner or stranger. Around the same period, various spellings, including Walick, Wallack, and Wallach, were recorded in historical documents.

Old records indicate the presence of the Wallich name in medieval manuscripts and charters. For instance, in 1263, a manuscript from Saxony mentions a Johan Wallick, who was noted as a landowner. Historical references point to the usage of this name in different regions, indicating its spread across German-speaking territories.

The Wallich name appears in place names and localities across Germany and neighboring countries. One early example can be traced to a 14th-century document that references the town of Walchenstein in Bavaria, where a local ruler, Heinrich von Wallich, played a significant role in regional politics.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Wallich is found in an 1188 charter listing a juror named Hartmann Wallich in a court case in Nuremberg. The name has also been linked to various spelling variations, reflecting minor regional linguistic differences. For example, records show a Hans Walack in Munich in 1357 and a Friedrich Wallach in Cologne in 1422.

Famous individuals bearing the Wallich surname have made significant contributions over the centuries. Nathaniel Wallich, born in 1786 and died in 1854, was a renowned Danish botanist whose work in India produced valuable botanical collections. Another notable person, Carl Wallich (born 1810, died 1888), was a prominent German financier and philanthropist, known for his contributions to educational institutions.

Franz Wallich, a musician and composer born in 1830, made significant contributions to classical music in Austria during the 19th century. His compositions were celebrated in Viennese concert halls. Ludwig Wallich, a political figure born in 1872 and active in German politics in the early 20th century, held a seat in the Reichstag from 1912 to 1918.

A more recent historical figure, Henry A. Wallich, born in 1914 and died in 1988, was an influential economist and a member of the Federal Reserve Board in the United States. His economic policies and theories left a lasting impact on the field of economics.

Through the centuries, the Wallich surname has been associated with various regions and professions, reflecting its widespread use and the diverse contributions of those who bore the name. From medieval landowners to notable academics and musicians, the name Wallich has a rich and varied history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wallich

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

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 Wallich was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.16% 118
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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

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

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"Wallich last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 5, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wallich-surname-popularity/.

"Wallich last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wallich-surname-popularity/. Accessed 5 June, 2025

Wallich last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wallich-surname-popularity/.

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