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

Westendorf, 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 Westendorf surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Westendorf in America

Westendorf is the 15527th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Westendorf surname appeared 1,885 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 Westendorf.

We can also compare 2010 data for Westendorf 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 Westendorf

The surname Westendorf originated in Germany, with its earliest known records dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Old German words "westen" and "dorf," which translate to "western village" or "western hamlet." This suggests that the name likely originated from a specific location or region in western Germany.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Westendorf can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Brandenburgensis, a collection of historical documents from the Margraviate of Brandenburg, which mentions a "Johannes de Westendorp" in 1295. Additionally, the name appears in various medieval records and manuscripts across different regions of Germany, indicating its widespread use during those times.

The name Westendorf has also been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Johann Wilhelm Westendorf, a German theologian and professor of philosophy who lived from 1605 to 1684. Another prominent bearer of the name was Johann Theodor Westendorf, a 19th-century German philologist and Egyptologist, born in 1808 and known for his contributions to the study of the ancient Egyptian language.

In the 18th century, Johann Gottlieb Westendorf (1711-1788) was a renowned German composer and organist, known for his works in the Baroque style. Furthermore, Friedrich Westendorf (1832-1905) was a German architect who designed notable buildings in Berlin, including the Reichsbank and the Reichspatentamt.

Another notable figure was Karl Friedrich Westendorf (1834-1899), a German historian and author who specialized in the history of the Reformation and the Thirty Years' War. His works, such as "Die Reformatoren und ihre Gegner" (The Reformers and Their Opponents), provided valuable insights into that period of European history.

The surname Westendorf has a rich historical background, originating in Germany and reflecting the geographic origins of its bearers. While its roots can be traced back to the 13th century, the name has been carried by notable individuals across various fields, contributing to its enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Westendorf

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

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

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

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