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

Wien, 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 Wien surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wien in America

Wien is the 43206th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wien surname appeared 500 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 Wien.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wien 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 Wien

The surname Wien has its origins in Central Europe, primarily within the boundaries of modern-day Austria and Germany. The name is intrinsically linked to Vienna, spelled Wien in German, the capital city of Austria. The etymology of Wien is believed to derive from the Latin name Vindobona, which was a Roman military camp established around 1st century AD, and the name evolved over centuries.

The surname Wien would historically be tied to inhabitants of Vienna or its surrounding regions. This locational surname was likely used to identify those who hailed from the prominent city, which has been an important cultural and political center since the Middle Ages. The proximity of Vienna to other major European trade and political centers would also contribute to the spread of the surname.

One of the earliest references to the surname can be traced to medieval records, although concrete documentation is sparse due to the complexities and changes in record-keeping. One well-documented figure is Christopher Wien, a German merchant mentioned in 1484, who was known to conduct trade between major cities of the Holy Roman Empire.

Throughout history, the surname Wien appears sporadically in official documents, such as tax registers and civic records, rather than any singular monumental historical record like the Domesday Book in England. These references indicate the surname's modest but steady presence in regions influenced by or affiliated with Vienna, including various parts of the former Austrian Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.

A notable individual bearing this surname is Carl Wien, born in 1765, a respected composer and violinist in Vienna’s classical music circles. His contributions included numerous compositions that were performed in the aristocratic salons of late 18th-century Vienna, although he did not gain widespread fame.

In the early 19th century, another prominent figure was Johann Wien, an Austrian military officer born in 1801 who served in the Napoleonic Wars. His distinguished service led to his association with multiple important battles and he was awarded several honors during his military career.

In more recent history, Charles Wien, an Austrian-American physicist, played a significant role in early 20th-century scientific advancements. Born in Vienna in 1889, he emigrated to the United States where his research contributed to the early developments in quantum mechanics and theoretical physics.

Finally, another interesting historical figure is Ernestine Wien, born in 1842, who was a noted Austrian suffragist and women’s rights advocate. Her activism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries significantly contributed to the movement for women’s voting rights in Austria, and she remained a vocal advocate for social reforms until her death in 1921.

The surname Wien, while not overwhelmingly common, has left its mark on various historical fields from military and scientific contributions to cultural and social advancements, often tied to the central European regions around Vienna.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wien

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

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

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

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