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

Wempe, 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 Wempe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wempe in America

Wempe is the 48347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wempe surname appeared 437 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 Wempe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wempe 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 Wempe

The surname Wempe is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated as a topographic name, derived from the Middle Low German word "wemp," which means "wet meadow" or "damp pasture."

In the early Middle Ages, many surnames were derived from geographic features or descriptions of the landscapes where people lived. The name Wempe likely originated among families who resided near or owned land with a wet meadow or damp pasture.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wempe can be found in the medieval records of the city of Hamburg, Germany, dating back to the 13th century. These records mention individuals with variations of the name, such as "Wempe" and "Wempen."

During the 14th century, the name Wempe appeared in several other German regions, including Lower Saxony and Westphalia. This suggests that the name had spread across northern Germany by this time.

Notable individuals bearing the surname Wempe include Johann Wempe, a merchant and alderman in the city of Lübeck in the late 15th century. Another prominent figure was Hinrich Wempe, a wealthy merchant and shipowner from Hamburg, who lived in the 16th century.

In the 17th century, the name Wempe is associated with the town of Wempe, located in the present-day state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. This town likely took its name from the same topographic origin as the surname.

Moving into the 18th century, we find references to Joachim Wempe, a German jurist and legal scholar who lived from 1688 to 1762. He served as a professor of law at the University of Greifswald and published several notable works on legal theory.

Another notable figure was Johann Wempe, a German architect and master builder who lived from 1720 to 1790. He was responsible for the construction of several churches and public buildings in the city of Hamburg during the late 18th century.

In the 19th century, the name Wempe continued to be associated with various professions and trades in Germany. One notable individual was Carl Wempe, a German watchmaker and entrepreneur who founded the renowned Wempe jewelry and watch company in 1878, which is still in operation today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wempe

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

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

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

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