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

Wellner, 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 Wellner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wellner in America

Wellner is the 23432nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wellner surname appeared 1,085 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 Wellner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wellner 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 Wellner

The surname Wellner has its origins in Germany and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is derived from the German word "Wellen," which means "waves" or "ripples," suggesting that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a body of water with a wavy or rippling surface.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wellner appears in a manuscript from the city of Nuremberg, dated 1547. The document mentions a certain Hans Wellner, who was a merchant and landowner in the region.

During the 17th century, the Wellner name gained prominence in the southern German states, particularly in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. Records from this period show several Wellner families owning land and businesses in towns such as Ulm, Stuttgart, and Freiburg.

In the late 18th century, Johann Georg Wellner (1742-1812) was a notable figure from Bamberg, Bavaria. He was a renowned clockmaker and inventor, known for his innovative clock designs and contributions to the field of horology.

As the Wellner family spread across Germany, the name underwent slight variations in spelling, such as Wellner, Wöllner, and Wöllmer. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and local scribes' interpretations.

In the 19th century, the Wellner name made its way to other parts of Europe and even across the Atlantic. One notable figure was Friedrich Wellner (1818-1892), a German-born businessman who immigrated to the United States and established a successful brewery in St. Louis, Missouri.

Another prominent individual with the Wellner surname was Adele Wellner (1876-1956), an Austrian opera singer and actress. She performed in major opera houses across Europe and was highly acclaimed for her portrayal of various roles in works by composers such as Wagner and Verdi.

In the 20th century, the Wellner name continued to be represented in various fields. For instance, Robert Wellner (1909-1991) was a German-American artist and painter known for his abstract expressionist works, which were exhibited in galleries across the United States and Europe.

It is worth noting that while the Wellner surname originated in Germany, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and intermarriage, contributing to the rich cultural diversity associated with this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wellner

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

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

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

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