2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wegher
A surname likely derived from an occupational name referring to a weigher or measurer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Wegher. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wegher surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Wegher in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wegher, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wegher
The surname Wegher has its origins in Germany, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old German word "weg," which meant "path" or "way." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who lived near a path or roadway.
During the Middle Ages, the Wegher name appeared in various historical records and documents, including the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of medieval charters and deeds from the region of Saxony. One notable entry from 1287 mentions a certain "Johannes Wegher" as a witness to a land transaction.
As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent slight variations in spelling, such as "Wegher," "Weghere," and "Weggher." These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local scribes' interpretations.
In the 16th century, there are records of a prominent family of merchants and landowners with the surname Wegher in the city of Nuremberg. One member, Hans Wegher (1510-1578), was a respected citizen and served as a city councilor.
Another notable Wegher was Johann Wegher (1624-1701), a Lutheran theologian and philosopher who taught at the University of Jena. His published works include treatises on logic and metaphysics.
The 18th century saw the emergence of Johann Michael Wegher (1738-1801), a German composer and organist who spent much of his career in the service of the Bavarian court. His compositions included sacred choral works and instrumental pieces.
In the 19th century, the name Wegher was found in various regions of Germany, including Saxony, Bavaria, and the Rhineland. One notable figure was Karl Wegher (1821-1893), a politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag (German parliament) in the late 19th century.
As the name Wegher spread beyond Germany, it also took root in other parts of Europe and eventually in other parts of the world through immigration. However, the earliest records and most prominent historical figures associated with this surname can be traced back to its German origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wegher
Among Census respondents with the surname Wegher, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wegher bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wegher surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.2% · 110
- Two or more races5.9% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wegher
Wegher appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-8 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 17,338 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,941 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 17,338 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 6,941 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wegher surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #150,452 | #143,511 | 4.6% |
| Count | 109 | 118 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wegher bearers went from 109 to 118 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 6,941 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #143,511.
FAQ
Wegher surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wegher?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Wegher. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Wegher?
Wegher ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 118 people with the surname Wegher. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wegher.
Has Wegher become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wegher went from 109 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 9 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Wegher?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wegher, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.9%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wegher in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.2% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wegher appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.2%), Two or More Races (5.9%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wegher (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wegher mean?
A surname likely derived from an occupational name referring to a weigher or measurer. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wegher (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Wegher?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.