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

Wessman, 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 Wessman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wessman in America

Wessman is the 35057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wessman surname appeared 643 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 Wessman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wessman 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 Wessman

The surname Wessman is of German origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Westphalia, which was once a part of the Holy Roman Empire. The name is derived from the Old German words "west" and "mann," meaning "west man" or "man from the west."

In the early 13th century, the name Wessman appeared in various medieval records and manuscripts, including the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, which documented land transactions and legal agreements in the region of Saxony. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name was in 1237, when a certain Henricus Wessman was mentioned as a witness in a document concerning the sale of a property in the town of Goslar.

The Wessman name was also found in the Liber Census Daniae, a Danish census record from the late 13th century. This document listed several individuals with the surname, suggesting that the name had spread beyond its German origins and into other parts of northern Europe.

During the 14th century, the name Wessman gained prominence in the city of Lübeck, a major trading hub in the Hanseatic League. Archival records from this period include references to a merchant named Johann Wessman, who lived in Lübeck between 1340 and 1395.

In the 15th century, the Wessman family established themselves as landowners in the region of Westphalia. One notable member was Konrad Wessman, born in 1457, who served as a magistrate in the town of Soest and played a significant role in resolving disputes between local nobles and the city's residents.

As the surname spread across Europe, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Wessmann, Westmann, and Westman. Some individuals of note bearing this name include:

1. Peder Westman (1615-1688), a Swedish military engineer and cartographer known for his contributions to the mapping of Scandinavia.
2. Johan Wessman (1677-1746), a Finnish-born Swedish military officer and nobleman who served as the Governor of Östergötland.
3. Johann Friedrich Wessman (1772-1857), a German composer and music theorist who taught at the University of Berlin.
4. Carl Gustaf Wessman (1834-1909), a Swedish-Finnish zoologist and explorer who conducted extensive research in South America and the Arctic regions.
5. Vilho Wessman (1884-1919), a Finnish politician and trade unionist who played a significant role in the Finnish Civil War.

While the surname Wessman has its roots in Germany, it has since spread across Europe and beyond, with various spellings and variations emerging over time. The name has been associated with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including merchants, landowners, military officers, academics, and political figures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wessman

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

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

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

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