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

Wentz, 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 Wentz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wentz in America

Wentz is the 4231st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wentz surname appeared 8,376 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 Wentz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wentz 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 Wentz

The surname Wentz is of German origin, derived from the medieval occupation of "Wenzel," which referred to a person who produced or sold wreaths and garlands. The name's earliest roots can be traced back to the 13th century in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony.

The name Wentz is believed to have evolved from the Old High German word "wintan," meaning "to wind" or "to twist," reflecting the occupation of wreath-making. It was initially spelled as "Wenzel" or "Wentzel," with various regional variations such as "Wenczel" or "Wentzl."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Bavarian town records of Landshut in 1292, where a certain "Conradus Wenzel" was listed as a resident. In the 14th century, the name is found in the Bürgeraufnahmen (citizen admissions) of the city of Nürnberg, where a "Hanns Wentzel" was recorded in 1378.

The name Wentz has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest documented bearers of the name was Johann Wentz (c. 1450-1517), a German theologian and professor at the University of Ingolstadt. In the 16th century, Hans Wentz (1515-1584) was a renowned artist and engraver from Nuremberg, known for his intricate woodcuts and engravings.

During the 17th century, Johann Michael Wentz (1648-1708) was a prominent German composer and organist, serving at various churches in Saxony. Another notable figure was Johann Georg Wentz (1688-1752), a German botanist and physician who made significant contributions to the study of plant taxonomy.

In the 19th century, Carl Friedrich Wentz (1800-1876) was a German landscape painter and etcher, renowned for his depictions of rural scenes and architectural subjects. His contemporary, Johann Friedrich Wentz (1813-1888), was a German-American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the surname Wentz throughout history, showcasing its longstanding presence and varied backgrounds across different fields and regions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wentz

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

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

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

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