Walzer last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Walzer

A surname derived from the German word for "walker" or "fuller" (one who trampled cloth).

Walzer, 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 Walzer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Walzer in America

Walzer is the 27452nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Walzer surname appeared 878 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 Walzer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Walzer 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 27452 25969 5.55%
Count 878 888 -1.13%
Proportion per 100k 0.30 0.33 -9.52%

The history of the last name Walzer

The surname WALZER is of German origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is derived from the German word "walzer," which means "dancer" or "waltzer." The name likely originated among families who were known for their skills in dancing or performing traditional German dances.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name WALZER can be found in the archives of the city of Nuremberg, Germany, where a certain Hans Walzer was mentioned in a document dated 1587. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 1500s in the southern regions of Germany.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name WALZER began to spread to other parts of the German-speaking world, including Austria, Switzerland, and parts of what is now Poland and the Czech Republic. It was often associated with families involved in the entertainment industry, particularly those who performed in dance halls or at court celebrations.

In the 19th century, the name WALZER gained prominence with the rise of the Viennese waltz, a popular ballroom dance that became a cultural phenomenon across Europe. Notable figures with this surname during this period include Johann Strauss II (1825-1899), the famous Austrian composer known as the "Waltz King," and his father, Johann Strauss I (1804-1849), who was also a renowned composer and conductor.

Another significant bearer of the name WALZER was the Austrian philosopher and social critic Michael Walzer (1935-present), best known for his work on just war theory and political philosophy. His contributions to the field of ethics and social justice have been widely influential.

In the 20th century, the name WALZER continued to be associated with various disciplines, including the arts, academia, and politics. Notable individuals with this surname include the American painter and printmaker Jack Walzer (1914-1998), known for his abstract expressionist works, and the German-born American political scientist Michael Walzer (1935-present), who is distinct from the Austrian philosopher of the same name.

While the surname WALZER originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world through immigration and cultural exchange. However, its roots can be traced back to the late 16th century in the German-speaking regions of Europe, where it was closely linked to the art of dance and performance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Walzer

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

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 Walzer was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 92.26% 810
Non-Hispanic Black Only 3.87% 34
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.80% 7
Hispanic Origin 2.39% 21

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 Walzer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 92.26% 93.02% -0.82%
Black 3.87% 4.62% -17.67%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.80% 0.90% -11.76%
Hispanic 2.39% 1.13% 71.59%

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

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

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"Walzer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/walzer-surname-popularity/.

"Walzer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/walzer-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

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

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