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

Wetz, 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 Wetz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wetz in America

Wetz is the 38155th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wetz surname appeared 581 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 Wetz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wetz 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 Wetz

The surname "WETZ" is of German origin, tracing its roots back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated from the German word "wetze," which means "whetstone" or "grindstone," suggesting that the name may have been adopted by someone who worked with whetstones or was associated with the trade of sharpening tools.

The earliest recorded instances of the name "WETZ" can be found in German census records from the 14th century, primarily concentrated in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. It is possible that the name was derived from a place name, such as "Wetzlar," a town in the German state of Hesse, which was once known for its whetstone quarries.

One of the earliest known bearers of the "WETZ" surname was Hans Wetz, a stonemason who lived in Nuremberg, Germany, in the late 15th century. His name appears in various municipal records from that time, indicating his involvement in the construction of several notable buildings in the city.

Another notable figure with the "WETZ" surname was Johann Christoph Wetz, a German composer and organist who lived from 1645 to 1718. He was known for his contributions to the development of the German baroque style of music and held prestigious positions as an organist in several churches in Saxony.

In the 18th century, Friedrich Wetz (1705-1777) was a German physicist and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of optics. He is particularly remembered for his work on the theory of light refraction and for his experiments with prisms and lenses.

During the 19th century, the "WETZ" surname gained prominence in the United States, as many German immigrants brought the name with them to the new world. One notable American with this surname was Gustav Wetz (1829-1891), a German-born civil engineer who was instrumental in the construction of several major railroads and bridges in the American West.

Finally, in the 20th century, Albert Wetz (1901-1985) was a German-American artist and sculptor known for his works in bronze and stone. He was particularly renowned for his public sculptures, which can be found in various cities across the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wetz

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

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

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

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