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

Wigant, 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 Wigant surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wigant in America

Wigant is the 129825th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wigant surname appeared 131 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 Wigant.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wigant 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 Wigant

The surname Wigant has its origins in medieval Germany, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old High German name Wīgant, which translates to "warrior" or "fighter." This name comes from the elements wīg, meaning "battle," and nant, meaning "daring" or "bold." The name Wigant was initially used to denote someone who was a warrior or someone with a bold, fighting spirit.

In medieval Germany, variations of this surname, including Wiegand or Wygand, were found primarily within regions such as Bavaria, Saxony, and the Rhineland. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a 13th-century manuscript from Bavaria, where a Matheus Wigant is mentioned in a document dated 1273. Such records were usually tax lists or charters for land grants and convey a clear impression of the social standing of the family.

During the late Middle Ages, the name started to appear in other European countries as well, particularly in regions influenced by German migration. For example, by the 14th century, the surname Wigant had reached parts of modern-day France and Switzerland, owing to the movement of German-speaking people.

Notable historical figures bearing the surname include Hans Wigant, a renowned 16th-century painter from the city of Augsburg, born in 1500 and died in 1575. Another early record is of a Johannes Wigant, listed as a member of a guild in Nuremberg around the year 1330, demonstrating the name's establishment within urban and artisan circles.

In England, the surname appears sporadically and is sometimes mistaken for Wigan, a name deriving from a different origin. The first notable person in England to carry the name was Richard Wigant, a mercenary knight recorded in the early 15th century, undertaken military duties in the Hundred Years' War around 1420.

By the 17th century, one finds the Wigant surname among early settlers in the Americas. Johann Wigant, born 1605, emigrated from Germany to Pennsylvania in 1638, becoming one of the early pioneers in the New World’s German-speaking communities. His family would go on to contribute substantially to the early Colonial society.

To summarize, the surname Wigant carries a rich historical background rooted in medieval Germany. It evolved from the Old High German elements signifying “battle” and “boldness,” marking those who bore the name as warriors or daring individuals. Its spread through Europe and into the Americas ties numerous individuals to its historic lineage, showcasing its longstanding legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wigant

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

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

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

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