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

Wegner, 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 Wegner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wegner in America

Wegner is the 4336th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wegner surname appeared 8,192 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Wegner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wegner 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 Wegner

The surname Wegner is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages in central Europe. It is believed to have derived from the German word "Weg," which means "way" or "path," suggesting that the name may have been initially attributed to those who lived near a prominent path or road.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wegner can be found in the 14th century in the town of Wegner, located in present-day Poland. This town, which was once part of the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, likely served as the source of the surname for those who hailed from or lived in the area.

In the 15th century, the name appears in various historical records, including the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of documents related to the history of Brandenburg, Germany. This suggests that the Wegner family had established a presence in this region during that period.

Notable individuals bearing the Wegner surname include Michael Wegner (1624-1701), a German composer and organist who served as the Kapellmeister at the court of Dresden. Another prominent figure was Johann Wegner (1773-1849), a German architect renowned for his work in the Neoclassical style, including the design of the Schauspielhaus Berlin theater.

In the realm of literature, the name Wegner is associated with the German author and critic Georg Philipp Wegner (1801-1875), who wrote extensively on the works of Goethe and Schiller. Additionally, the 19th century saw the rise of Wilhelm Wegner (1826-1903), a German industrialist and founder of the Wegner & Co. engineering firm, which played a significant role in the development of Germany's manufacturing sector.

Crossing into the 20th century, one notable bearer of the Wegner surname was the renowned German furniture designer and architect Hans Wegner (1914-2007), whose iconic chair designs, such as the Wishbone Chair and the Shell Chair, are celebrated worldwide for their innovative and functional designs.

These examples highlight the rich history and diverse accomplishments associated with the surname Wegner, which has left an indelible mark across various fields, from music and architecture to literature and design, throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wegner

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

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

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

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