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

Wigger, 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 Wigger surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wigger in America

Wigger is the 29422nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wigger surname appeared 803 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 Wigger.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wigger 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 Wigger

The surname Wigger has its origins in Germany, specifically from the northern regions. It is derived from an old Germanic personal name composed of two elements: "wig," meaning war or battle, and "heri," meaning army or warrior. This etymology indicates that the name likely originated as a descriptive term for a person involved in warfare or a soldier.

The surname Wigger first appeared in historical records in medieval Germany. One of the earliest mentions can be traced back to the 13th century when the name was recorded in various manuscripts and charters. For instance, a Heinrich Wigger is documented in a 1258 manuscript in the region of Westphalia. The presence of this name in such records indicates its prevalence among the local population during the Middle Ages.

In terms of historical references, the surname appears in a variety of forms in medieval records. Variants such as Wiggers, Wiggere, and Wighere are found in documents dating from the 13th through the 15th centuries. These variants illustrate the phonetic evolution of the surname over time, influenced by regional dialects and orthographic practices of the time.

One notable individual with this surname was Johann Wigger, born in 1570, a respected merchant from the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. His name is recorded in various trade documents from the late 16th century, reflecting the spread of the surname beyond its initial geographic confines.

Another early example is Hans Wigger, who was documented in the early 1400s as a landowner in Holstein. His presence in property records from that period reveals the esteem and status held by individuals bearing the surname.

In the realm of the ecclesiastical, Martin Wigger, born in 1480 and ordained as a priest in the early 1500s, served in the parish church of Bremen. His recorded sermons and ecclesiastical duties provide insight into the surname's prominence within clerical circles during the Renaissance.

The surname also appears in place names, further solidifying its historical roots. For instance, Wiggern is an older spelling of a village name in the region of Lower Saxony, indicating a possible lineage connection or influence of a prominent family with the surname in that area.

During the 18th century, the name continued to feature prominently. Friedrich Wigger (1730-1805) was a distinguished academic and historian in the city of Hamburg. His numerous works and contributions to historical scholarship are well documented in academic circles, underscoring the intellectual legacy of the surname.

Each of these historical figures and references underscores the longstanding presence and significance of the surname Wigger within German history. The name's evolution, both in its spelling and its bearer's professions, showcases its deep-rooted legacy in the culture and historical developments of the region.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wigger

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

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

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

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