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

Weisenfels, 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 Weisenfels surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Weisenfels in America

Weisenfels is the 160975th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Weisenfels surname appeared 100 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 Weisenfels.

The history of the last name Weisenfels

The surname Weisenfels originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Saxony-Anhalt. It is derived from the name of the town of Weissenfels, which translates to "white rock" or "white stone" in English. The town's name is believed to have been derived from the presence of large white limestone cliffs in the area.

Weisenfels can be traced back to the 12th century, when it was first recorded as "Wizinvels" in historical documents. Over time, the spelling evolved to its modern form, with variations such as "Weissenfels" and "Weissenfelse" also being used.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Liber Ratisbonensis, a 13th-century manuscript containing a list of landowners and their properties in the region around Regensburg, Bavaria. The name "Heinrich von Weissenfels" is mentioned in this document, dated around 1250.

In the 14th century, the name Weisenfels gained prominence due to its association with the noble family of the same name. This family owned vast estates in the region and held significant political power. One notable member was Heinrich von Weisenfels (1310-1378), who served as a military commander and adviser to the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV.

During the Renaissance period, the Weisenfels family continued to hold influence, and several members held important positions in the courts and governments of various German principalities. One notable figure was Johann von Weisenfels (1522-1586), a humanist scholar and diplomat who served as a councilor to the Elector of Saxony.

In the 17th century, a branch of the Weisenfels family relocated to the Netherlands, where they became prominent merchants and bankers. One of the most famous members of this branch was Pieter Weisenfels (1635-1701), a successful businessman and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of Amsterdam.

Another notable individual with the surname Weisenfels was the composer Johann Georg Weisenfels (1667-1737), who was born in Saxony and worked as a court musician in various German cities, including Dresden and Leipzig.

Throughout history, several other individuals have borne the surname Weisenfels, including military officers, clergymen, and academics, though their specific contributions may not have been as widely recognized as those mentioned above.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Weisenfels

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

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 Weisenfels 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.

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

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

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