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

Wiegand, 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 Wiegand surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiegand in America

Wiegand is the 5769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiegand surname appeared 6,004 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Wiegand.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiegand 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 Wiegand

The surname Wiegand is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German words "wiegen," meaning "to weigh," and "ant," meaning "counter" or "weigher." It was an occupational surname given to those who worked as weighers, particularly in the weighing of goods and merchandise.

The earliest recorded instances of the Wiegand surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany, including Bavaria, Saxony, and Silesia. During this time, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Wigand, Wygand, and Weigand, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Wigand von Marburg, a German theologian and philosopher who lived in the 13th century (c. 1210-1277). He is known for his work "Perspectiva," which contributed to the development of the study of optics.

In the 14th century, the Wiegand surname was documented in the Codex Diplomaticus Saxoniae Regiae, a collection of historical documents related to the region of Saxony. This record mentions individuals with the surname Wiegand, indicating their presence in the area during that period.

During the 15th century, a notable figure with the surname Wiegand was Johannes Wiegand (c. 1430-1490), a German priest and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Leipzig. He played a significant role in the intellectual and religious life of the region.

In the 16th century, the Wiegand surname gained prominence in the city of Nuremberg, where several members of the family were involved in the metalworking and goldsmithing industries. One notable figure from this period was Hans Wiegand (c. 1520-1590), a skilled goldsmith and engraver whose works were highly sought after by the nobility and clergy.

Another prominent individual with the Wiegand surname was Johann Wiegand (1661-1718), a German physician and botanist from Saxony. He conducted extensive research on medicinal plants and authored several works on the subject, contributing to the advancement of herbal medicine during his time.

Over the centuries, the Wiegand surname has spread to various parts of the world, including North America, where it was brought by German immigrants in the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the name's origins can be traced back to its German roots and the occupational significance it held in medieval and early modern Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiegand

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

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

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

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