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

Wecker, 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 Wecker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wecker in America

Wecker is the 28940th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wecker surname appeared 821 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 Wecker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wecker 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 Wecker

The surname Wecker originated in Germany, likely in the late medieval period. It is derived from the German word "wecker," which means "alarm" or "watchman." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked as a night watchman or guard.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wecker can be found in the town records of Mühlhausen, Thuringia, dating back to the 15th century. The name was also found in various other regions of Germany, such as Saxony and Bavaria, during this time period.

In the 16th century, a notable individual bearing the name Wecker was Hans Wecker, a German writer and translator born in Nuremberg around 1500. He is known for his translations of classical works into German.

Another historical figure with the surname Wecker was Johann Jacob Wecker, a German physician and alchemist born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1528. He was a renowned author on medical and alchemical topics, and his works were widely read throughout Europe.

In the 17th century, the name Wecker appeared in various records across German-speaking regions, including the town of Wörlitz in Saxony-Anhalt, where a family named Wecker was recorded in the local church registers.

During the 18th century, the name Wecker was found in various parts of Germany, as well as in areas with significant German populations, such as parts of modern-day Poland and the Czech Republic. One notable individual from this period was Johann Georg Wecker, a German composer and organist born in Nuremberg in 1734.

Another historical figure bearing the name Wecker was Carl Wecker, a German ophthalmologist born in Frankfurt am Main in 1839. He made significant contributions to the field of eye surgery and developed several surgical instruments and techniques.

The surname Wecker has continued to be present in various German-speaking regions throughout history, and it is still relatively common in Germany, Austria, and parts of Switzerland today. While the name has several possible derivations and meanings, its connection to the occupation of a watchman or guard remains a plausible origin.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wecker

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

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

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

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