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

Werkheiser, 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 Werkheiser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Werkheiser in America

Werkheiser is the 20263rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Werkheiser surname appeared 1,313 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 Werkheiser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Werkheiser 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 Werkheiser

The surname Werkheiser has its origins in Germany, where it first emerged during the medieval period, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is derived from the Old German words "werc" and "heiser," which together can be translated to mean "worker of the house" or "house worker." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who worked as a servant or domestic within a household.

While the exact origins of the name are somewhat obscure, one of the earliest known records of the surname Werkheiser dates back to the 14th century, where it appears in a document from the city of Nuremberg. In this record, a man named Johannes Werkheiser is mentioned as a resident of the city.

As the name spread across German-speaking regions, it underwent various spelling variations, including Werckheiser, Werkheisser, and Werkheyser. These variations were likely due to differences in local dialects and the inconsistencies of written records during that time period.

One notable historical figure who bore the surname Werkheiser was Hans Werkheiser, a German merchant who lived in the 16th century. Born in 1528 in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, he became a successful trader and was involved in the export of textiles and other goods throughout Europe.

Another individual of note was Johann Werkheiser, who lived in the 17th century. Born in 1642 in the city of Heidelberg, he was a respected theologian and author, known for his writings on Protestant doctrine and his contributions to the development of German religious literature.

In the 18th century, the name appears in records from the region of Saxony, where a family of Werkheisers owned a successful brewery in the town of Zwickau. One member of this family, Friedrich Werkheiser, born in 1712, is said to have been instrumental in introducing new brewing techniques that improved the quality of the beer produced in the area.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable figure was Carl Werkheiser, born in 1825 in the city of Frankfurt. He was a prominent architect who designed several notable buildings in Germany, including the Frankfurt Opera House and the Alte Oper concert hall.

Finally, in the early 20th century, there was a German artist named Anna Werkheiser, born in 1892 in Munich. She was known for her expressionist paintings and was part of the avant-garde art movement that flourished in Germany during that period.

While these are just a few examples, the surname Werkheiser has a rich and varied history, with branches of the family tree spread across different regions of Germany over the centuries. Despite its humble origins as a name associated with domestic service, it has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, theologians, brewers, architects, and artists.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Werkheiser

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

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

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

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