2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wieker
A surname possibly derived from an occupational name meaning basket weaver or wigmaker.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Wieker. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wieker 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Wieker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wieker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wieker
The surname Wieker has its origins in Germany, particularly in the northern regions such as Mecklenburg and Pomerania. The name dates back to the Middle Ages, suggesting that it was likely used as early as the 12th or 13th centuries. It is derived from an Old High German word, "wîh," which means "village" or "settlement," combined with the suffix "-er," indicating an inhabitant or resident. Thus, the name likely meant "someone from the village" or "settler."
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Wieker appears in medieval documents from the 14th century in the region of Mecklenburg. Records from this time period often show variations in spelling, such as Weiker or Wicker, due to the lack of standardized spelling practices in medieval Europe. For example, a manuscript from 1378 mentions a Johann Weiker as a landowner in what is now modern-day Germany.
Throughout history, the name Wieker has been associated with various individuals of note. One prominent individual was Heinrich Wieker, born in 1483 in Pomerania. He was known for his contributions to local governance and was recorded in town registries as an influential councilman until his death in 1542. Another noteworthy person was Anna Wieker, who lived from 1625 to 1691. She was a prominent figure in her community in Mecklenburg and was involved in several charitable endeavors.
The town of Wiek in Rügen, a German island in the Baltic Sea, shares linguistic ties with the surname and suggests a familial connection to the area. This emphasizes the idea that the surname Wieker may have originated from settlers or inhabitants of that specific village, further reinforcing its etymological roots.
By the 18th century, the surname Wieker had spread to various parts of Europe, including Poland and Scandinavia, due to migration and shifting political borders. During this period, a notable figure was Friedrich Wieker, born in 1767, who was a renowned painter in the Prussian court. His works remained influential until his death in 1825, reflecting the cultural reach of the family name.
In the 19th century, the name Wieker continued to be associated with notable individuals. For example, Karl Wieker, who lived from 1820 to 1889, was a prominent engineer known for his work in developing early railway systems in Germany. His technical advancements left a lasting impact on transportation infrastructure in the region.
The surname Wieker, enriched with a long history tied to settlement and community life, reflects a lineage of individuals who have made significant contributions to their societies over the centuries. With origins in medieval Germany and connections to notable historical figures, the name stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of those who bore it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wieker
Among Census respondents with the surname Wieker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Wieker 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 Wieker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 5
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wieker
Wieker 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
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-24 bearers (-19.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 32,793 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+16 bearers (+15.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 14,921 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | -24 bearers (-19.0%) | Down 32,793 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.7%) | Up 14,921 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 Wieker 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 | #158,432 | #143,511 | 9.4% |
| Count | 102 | 118 | 15.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 31.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wieker bearers went from 102 to 118 (+15.7% change). The surname moved up 14,921 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #143,511.
FAQ
Wieker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wieker?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Wieker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Wieker?
Wieker ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Wieker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Wieker.
Has Wieker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wieker went from 102 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 16 (+15.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Wieker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wieker, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.2%) and Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Wieker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wieker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.7%), Hispanic (4.2%), Two or More Races (3.4%). 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 Wieker (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 Wieker mean?
A surname possibly derived from an occupational name meaning basket weaver or wigmaker. 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 Wieker (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 Wieker?
If you just want to know how common the surname Wieker is, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.