2000
#121,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wieferich
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "wifeler" meaning trader or merchant.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 138 Americans carry the last name Wieferich. 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 Wieferich 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 Wieferich 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 Wieferich, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wieferich
The surname Wieferich originates from Germany, particularly from the northern regions of the country. The name emerged around the Medieval period, approximately in the 12th to 13th centuries. It is believed to derive from Middle Low German elements, specifically the words “wîf” meaning "wife" and "rich" potentially meaning "rich" or "powerful". Together, these elements could imply "someone with a wealthy wife" or "a powerful woman".
Northern Germany at this time comprised many small territories and duchies where regional dialects influenced the formation of surnames. Wieferich could also be a derivative of localized spellings or misspellings. Variations like "Wiferg" or "Wiuffrich" may have been used interchangeably in historical records, reflecting the phonetic spellings commonly used before standardization.
The name has been documented in various historical records. One early reference appears in a 13th-century tax register where a Heinrich Wieferich is mentioned as a landowner in Lübeck, a significant Hanseatic city. This points to the possibility of the name being associated with traders or influential town residents.
In the 15th century, another notable figure was Johannes Wieferich, a merchant active in Hamburg. Records from the Hamburg City Archive note his contributions to the guild and town council, indicating a certain degree of prominence and respect within his community. Such positions would often be noted in local registries, suggesting that his surname held social recognition.
The 16th century saw references to a Wilhelm Wieferich, who was a noted cleric in Bremen. Church manuscripts mention him as having served in various clerical offices, providing insights into how members of the Wieferich family might have held ecclesiastical roles and responsibilities in their localities.
A more scholarly mention can be found in the 18th century. Friedrich Wieferich, born in 1722 and deceased in 1790, was a known educator and writer in Leipzig. His written works on the principles of education reform were well-circulated, indicating that his family name was associated with intellectual and pedagogical contributions during the Enlightenment period in Germany.
A key figure in more recent historical records is Ernst Wieferich, born in 1887 and passing in 1954. Ernst was a mathematician who significantly contributed to number theory. His name is notably associated with Wieferich primes, a concept in mathematics that remains relevant today. His academic legacy ensures that the surname Wieferich is known in mathematical circles globally.
In summary, the surname Wieferich has a rich history rooted in medieval Germany. It has been associated with various professions including trade, ecclesiastic roles, education, and academic contributions. The continuity of the name across centuries showcases its endurance and the notable achievements of individuals bearing the surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wieferich
Among Census respondents with the surname Wieferich, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Wieferich 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 Wieferich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 120
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wieferich
Wieferich 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
#128,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 133
+2 bearers (+1.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,469 places
2020
#142,049
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
-13 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,800 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,780 | 131 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #128,249 | 133 | 0.05 | +2 bearers (+1.5%) | Down 6,469 places |
| 2020 | #142,049 | 120 | 0.04 | -13 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 13,800 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 Wieferich 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 | #128,249 | #142,049 | -10.8% |
| Count | 133 | 120 | -9.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -19.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wieferich bearers went from 133 to 120 (-9.8% change). The surname moved down 13,800 positions in the national ranking, going from #128,249 to #142,049.
FAQ
Wieferich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wieferich?
Name Census estimates that about 138 living Americans carry the surname Wieferich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,483,727 residents.
How common is Wieferich?
Wieferich 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 Wieferich. 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 Wieferich.
Has Wieferich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wieferich went from 133 recorded bearers to 120. That is a decrease of 13 (-9.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #128,249 to #142,049.
What does the Census say about the background of Wieferich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wieferich, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Wieferich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (120 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wieferich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Wieferich (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 Wieferich mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the Middle High German "wifeler" meaning trader or merchant. 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 Wieferich (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 many people share the surname Wieferich?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.