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

Wie, 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 Wie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wie in America

Wie is the 118853rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wie surname appeared 146 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 Wie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wie 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 Wie

The surname Wie is believed to have originated in Northern Europe, most notably in Germany and the Netherlands. The earliest records suggest that the name began to be documented in regions like Lower Saxony and Friesland during the late Middle Ages, around the 12th to 15th centuries. The name Wie may derive from the old Germanic root "wi," which means "village" or "settlement," giving it a geographical connotation linked to habitation or place of dwelling.

One of the earliest references to the surname Wie appears in the outskirts of Hamburg in the early 14th century. Medieval manuscripts from that era mention a Heinrich Wie, a notable landowner in the region. The variation in spelling could be found in these early documents, which often listed the name as "Wy" or "Wye," reflecting the phonetic transcription common in old German and Dutch.

Further historical references include the appearance of the name in the tax records of Friesland around the mid-15th century. A Jan Wie is recorded as a merchant dealing in textiles, evidencing the family's engagement in trade and commerce during that period. These records serve as significant historical markers, pinpointing the geographic spread and socio-economic activities of individuals bearing the surname.

One of the more prominent figures with the surname was Friedrich Wie, a German philosopher born in 1657 and died in 1723, who contributed to early Enlightenment thought. His writings and academic pursuits were influential in philosophical circles during his lifetime. Another esteemed individual is Pieter Wie, born in 1789, who served as a mayor in a small town in the Netherlands, noted for his contributions to local governance and community development until his death in 1854.

Records from the 19th century show that the name Wie had also begun to appear in emigration lists, with families moving to the United States and Canada during times of economic hardship or political upheaval. For instance, an Anna Wie, who was born in 1823 and emigrated to America in 1848, is documented to have settled in Wisconsin, contributing to the farming community and aiding in the infrastructural development of the region.

Another notable individual from the early 20th century is Karl Wie, born in 1881 and died in 1939, a German painter known for his landscape paintings that captured the rural beauty of Northern Germany. His works are still celebrated in art circles and exemplify the cultural footprint left by individuals with the surname Wie throughout history.

Throughout generations, the surname Wie has evolved in spelling but retained its historical and geographic significance. Its presence in early records and the continued legacy of those who bore it contribute to a rich tapestry of cultural and historical identity linked to this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wie

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

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

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

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