Widmann last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Widmann

A German surname derived from a personal name meaning "wide man" or "broad man".

Widmann, 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 Widmann surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Widmann in America

Widmann is the 23555th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Widmann surname appeared 1,078 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 Widmann.

We can also compare 2010 data for Widmann 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 23555 23326 0.98%
Count 1,078 1,018 5.73%
Proportion per 100k 0.37 0.38 -2.67%

The history of the last name Widmann

The surname Widmann originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly within the boundaries of modern-day Germany and Austria. The name dates back to the late Middle Ages, around the 12th to 14th centuries. It is derived from the Middle High German words "wīt" meaning "wood" and "man" meaning "man." The name likely referred to someone who lived or worked in a forested area.

Medieval records show various spellings of the name, such as Wideman, Widemann, and Wydman. The name appears in several historical documents from the Holy Roman Empire. One of the earliest recorded examples is from a tax register in Swabia dating back to the early 13th century. The Widmann family is mentioned in land ownership documents, showing their involvement in the agrarian society of that period.

One of the earliest prominent figures bearing the surname was Johann Georg Widmann, a notable German merchant born in 1523 who was instrumental in developing trade routes in Southern Germany. He played a significant role in the economic expansion during his time, passing away in 1598.

In the 16th century, the Widmann name is further noted in the records of the Augsburg region, a major trading hub. Another notable person was Ludwig Widmann, born in 1570, who eventually became an influential city council member in Augsburg. His contributions to local governance were well-documented until his death in 1630.

In the realm of the arts, Johann Jakob Widmann, born in 1605, gained recognition as a composer and musician. His works are part of the rich tapestry of Baroque music that flourished in the German states. He died in 1680, leaving behind a legacy of musical compositions.

The name also appears in Italian regions, particularly in South Tyrol, reflecting migration patterns within the Holy Roman Empire. One significant figure from the 18th century was Matthias Widmann, an architect born in 1725, who designed several notable churches and public buildings. He passed away in 1783.

The geographical spread of the surname extended to Eastern Europe in later centuries. Karl Widmann, born in 1817 in Vienna, became a renowned chemist. His research in industrial chemistry significantly impacted the Austrian economy and scientific community. He died in 1880.

Through these historical records and prominent individuals, the surname Widmann epitomizes the confluence of agrarian, mercantile, artistic, and scientific pursuits across centuries in German-speaking Europe. Each individual bearing the name contributed to their respective fields, enhancing the cultural and historical richness associated with the surname Widmann.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Widmann

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

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 Widmann was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 95.36% 1,028
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.65% 7
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 1.86% 20
Hispanic Origin 1.86% 20

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 Widmann has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 95.36% 95.87% -0.53%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.65% 0.49% 28.07%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 1.86% 1.57% 16.91%
Hispanic 1.86% 1.47% 23.42%

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

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

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Widmann last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/widmann-surname-popularity/.

"Widmann last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/widmann-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

Widmann last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/widmann-surname-popularity/.

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