2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wertanen
A locational surname of German origin referring to someone from a place called Wertanen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Wertanen. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wertanen surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Wertanen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wertanen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wertanen
The surname WERTANEN is of Finnish origin, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the region of Central Finland, specifically the provinces of Häme and Pirkanmaa. The name is thought to be derived from the Finnish word "werta," meaning "blood," and the suffix "-nen," which is a common patronymic suffix denoting ancestry or origin.
One of the earliest known references to the WERTANEN name can be found in the Finnish church records from the late 16th century. These records document the birth and baptism of a child named Mikko Wertanen in the year 1587 in the town of Tampere, located in the Pirkanmaa region. This is often cited as one of the first recorded instances of the WERTANEN surname in written history.
In the 17th century, the WERTANEN name appeared in several land registry documents in the Häme province. These records indicate that a family bearing the surname owned and worked on a small farm in the village of Pälkäne. The name was also found in tax records from the same time period, suggesting that the WERTANENs were established members of the local community.
Throughout the centuries, the WERTANEN name has been associated with various occupations and professions. In the 18th century, a notable figure named Antti Wertanen (1712-1786) was a respected blacksmith and metalworker in the town of Hauhon. His son, Juho Wertanen (1745-1823), followed in his footsteps and became a renowned blade smith, crafting high-quality knives and swords that were highly sought after in the region.
In the 19th century, the WERTANEN name gained prominence in the field of education. Kaisa Wertanen (1825-1898) was a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in the city of Helsinki. Her dedication to providing quality education for young women was widely recognized and celebrated during her lifetime.
Another noteworthy individual was Matti Wertanen (1872-1946), a respected historian and author who wrote extensively about the history and culture of Finland. His works, such as "The History of the Finnish People" and "Folklore of the Finnish Countryside," were widely read and influential in their time.
While the WERTANEN surname has its roots in Finland, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and ancestry. However, the name's rich history and connection to its Finnish origins remain an integral part of its significance and cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wertanen
Among Census respondents with the surname Wertanen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wertanen bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wertanen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino9.2% · 10
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wertanen
Wertanen appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
+10 bearers (+8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 489 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-13 bearers (-10.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,878 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+8.9%) | Up 489 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-10.7%) | Down 12,878 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wertanen surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #137,327 | #150,205 | -9.4% |
| Count | 122 | 109 | -10.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wertanen bearers went from 122 to 109 (-10.7% change). The surname moved down 12,878 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #150,205.
FAQ
Wertanen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wertanen?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Wertanen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Wertanen?
Wertanen ranks #150,205 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 109 people with the surname Wertanen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wertanen.
Has Wertanen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wertanen went from 122 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 13 (-10.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Wertanen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wertanen, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.2%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wertanen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wertanen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (9.2%), Black (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wertanen (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wertanen mean?
A locational surname of German origin referring to someone from a place called Wertanen. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wertanen (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Wertanen?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.