2000
#69,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 265
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.10
Very Rare Last name
Wiesinger
A surname originating from Germany and Austria, meaning "meadow person."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 334 Americans carry the last name Wiesinger. That puts it at #72,089 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.10 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,026,211 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wiesinger 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
334
1 in 1,026,211
Census rank
#72,089
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
291
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 291 bearers of the surname Wiesinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.10 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 72089th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiesinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wiesinger
The surname Wiesinger originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly in what is now Austria and Germany. The name is derived from the Middle High German words "wiest," meaning "meadow" or "field," and "inger," which is a suffix denoting belonging or origin. This suggests that the surname likely started as a toponymic name, indicating a person who lived near or worked in a meadow or field.
The earliest references to the surname Wiesinger can be traced back to the medieval period in regions surrounding the Bavarian Alps. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries frequently mention individuals with similar surnames, such as Wiesing and Wiesig, indicating the possible evolution of the surname over time. One of the earliest notable records includes a mention of a Heinrich Wiesinger in 1342 within the archives of a monastery located in Bavaria.
By the 16th century, the surname Wiesinger began appearing more frequently in official documents such as tax records, land deeds, and guild registries. A notable historical figure from this period is Hans Wiesinger, a merchant from Salzburg born around 1565, known for his trading ventures across central Europe. His lineage reportedly played a significant role in establishing early commercial connections between German states and emerging markets in Eastern Europe.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Wiesinger family became associated with various regional administrative roles. One prominent individual, Johann Georg Wiesinger, born in 1698, served as a councilman and later mayor of a town in Upper Austria. His contributions to the local governance are well-documented in municipal records from the early 18th century.
In the 19th century, as migration within Europe increased and new opportunities in America beckoned, members of the Wiesinger family began to appear in emigration lists. Joseph Wiesinger, born in 1825, emigrated to the United States in 1852. He settled in Pennsylvania and became known for his involvement in the burgeoning steel industry of the era, leaving a lasting legacy in the region.
The 20th century saw the emergence of Anton Wiesinger, born in 1912, a notable Austrian philosopher and writer recognized for his contributions to metaphysical thought and esoteric studies. His works were influential in academic circles and continue to be referenced in contemporary philosophical discussions.
Overall, the surname Wiesinger has a rich history rooted in the German-speaking areas of Europe, reflecting significant contributions across various fields such as commerce, governance, and intellectual thought. It serves as an enduring testament to the cultural and social developments that have shaped the regions from which it originated.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wiesinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiesinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Wiesinger 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 Wiesinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 266
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 19
- Two or more races1.4% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wiesinger
Wiesinger 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
#70,208
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 279
+14 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 1,007 places
2020
#72,089
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 291
+12 bearers (+4.3%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 1,881 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #69,201 | 265 | 0.10 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #70,208 | 279 | 0.09 | +14 bearers (+5.3%) | Down 1,007 places |
| 2020 | #72,089 | 291 | 0.10 | +12 bearers (+4.3%) | Down 1,881 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 Wiesinger 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 | #70,208 | #72,089 | -2.7% |
| Count | 279 | 291 | 4.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.10 | 8.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wiesinger bearers went from 279 to 291 (+4.3% change). The surname moved down 1,881 positions in the national ranking, going from #70,208 to #72,089.
FAQ
Wiesinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wiesinger?
Name Census estimates that about 334 living Americans carry the surname Wiesinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,026,211 residents.
How common is Wiesinger?
Wiesinger ranks #72,089 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.10 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 291 people with the surname Wiesinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (334), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.1 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.10 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 Wiesinger.
Has Wiesinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wiesinger went from 279 recorded bearers to 291. That is an increase of 12 (+4.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #70,208 to #72,089.
What does the Census say about the background of Wiesinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiesinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.4%). 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 Wiesinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (266 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wiesinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (1.4%). 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 Wiesinger (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 Wiesinger mean?
A surname originating from Germany and Austria, meaning "meadow person." 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 Wiesinger (0.10 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 have the last name Wiesinger?
You can see how many people have the last name Wiesinger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.