2000
#127,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 124
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wetzbarger
A German surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a small town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Wetzbarger. That puts it at #142,049 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,483,727 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wetzbarger 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
138
1 in 2,483,727
Census rank
#142,049
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
120
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 120 bearers of the surname Wetzbarger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142049th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetzbarger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wetzbarger
The surname Wetzbarger originated in Germany, specifically in the region of Franconia, during the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old German words "wetzen" meaning "to sharpen" and "Berg" meaning "mountain" or "hill." This suggests that the name was initially associated with individuals who lived on a hill or mountain where sharpening tools or weapons was a common occupation.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wetzbarger name can be found in the Nuremberg Chronicle, a famous illustrated world history published in 1493. The book mentions a family with the name Wetzbarger residing in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in the Franconian region.
In the 16th century, a prominent figure named Hans Wetzbarger (1505-1572) gained recognition as a skilled metalsmith and weapon maker in the city of Nuremberg. His craftsmanship and innovative techniques in forging swords and armor earned him a reputation throughout the region.
During the 17th century, the Wetzbarger family expanded their influence, and some members relocated to other parts of Germany. One notable individual was Johann Wetzbarger (1620-1689), who served as a military officer in the army of the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Ansbach during the Thirty Years' War.
In the 18th century, a branch of the Wetzbarger family settled in the town of Bamberg, where they established a successful blacksmithing business. Heinrich Wetzbarger (1745-1812) was a respected master blacksmith known for his intricate ironwork designs, which adorned many buildings and churches in the region.
As the Wetzbarger name spread across Germany, variations in spelling emerged, such as Wetzberger, Wetzenberger, and Wetzberg. Additionally, some place names in Germany, like Wetzbergberg and Wetzbergerhof, are believed to have derived from the Wetzbarger surname, indicating the family's presence and influence in those areas.
Throughout history, the Wetzbarger surname has been associated with skilled craftsmen, metalworkers, and individuals who lived in or near mountainous regions. While the name may have evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to the medieval era in the heart of Franconia, Germany.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wetzbarger
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetzbarger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wetzbarger 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 Wetzbarger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino6.7% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wetzbarger
Wetzbarger 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
#141,140
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-6 bearers (-4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,954 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 909 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,186 | 124 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #141,140 | 118 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.8%) | Down 13,954 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 909 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 Wetzbarger 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 | #141,140 | #142,049 | -0.6% |
| Count | 118 | 120 | 1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wetzbarger bearers went from 118 to 120 (+1.7% change). The surname moved down 909 positions in the national ranking, going from #141,140 to #142,049.
FAQ
Wetzbarger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wetzbarger?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Wetzbarger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Wetzbarger?
Wetzbarger ranks #142,049 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 120 people with the surname Wetzbarger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (138), 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 Wetzbarger.
Has Wetzbarger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wetzbarger went from 118 recorded bearers to 120. That is an increase of 2 (+1.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #141,140 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Wetzbarger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetzbarger, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.7%). 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 Wetzbarger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wetzbarger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Hispanic (6.7%). 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 Wetzbarger (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 Wetzbarger mean?
A German surname derived from a place name referring to someone from a small town. 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 Wetzbarger (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 common is the surname Wetzbarger?
Want to know how common the surname Wetzbarger is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.