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

Wendler, 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 Wendler surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wendler in America

Wendler is the 15879th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wendler surname appeared 1,832 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wendler.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wendler 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 Wendler

The surname Wendler is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest known roots dating back to the Middle Ages. The name is derived from the German word "Wend," which referred to the Slavic people who inhabited parts of eastern Germany during that time. It's possible that the surname was initially given to someone who lived near or had interactions with these Slavic communities.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the Wendler name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, dating back to the 13th century. The name is thought to have been particularly prevalent in the regions of Saxony, Brandenburg, and Silesia, where Slavic communities were established.

In the 15th century, a notable figure named Hans Wendler (c. 1430-1490) was a prominent merchant and landowner from the city of Leipzig. His wealth and influence at the time suggest that the Wendler name had already gained some standing within the local community.

During the 16th century, the name appears in various records, including the baptismal records of St. Nikolai Church in Leipzig, where a child named Dorothea Wendler was christened in 1542. This provides evidence of the name's continued presence in the region.

One of the earliest known literary references to the Wendler name can be found in the works of the German poet and playwright Andreas Gryphius (1616-1664), who mentioned a character with the surname in one of his plays.

In the 18th century, Johann Gottlieb Wendler (1714-1790) was a respected theologian and author from Saxony, known for his writings on religious topics and his work as a pastor in various churches throughout the region.

As the name spread across Europe, it also found its way to other countries. For example, in the 19th century, a notable figure named Eduard Wendler (1821-1885) was a Czech-born artist and painter who gained recognition for his landscapes and portraits.

Throughout its history, the Wendler surname has been associated with various professions, from merchants and landowners to scholars, artists, and religious figures. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the Slavic communities that once inhabited parts of eastern Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wendler

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!