Wildfeuer last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wildfeuer

A German surname meaning "wild fire" or "raging wildfire".

Wildfeuer, 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 Wildfeuer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wildfeuer in America

Wildfeuer is the 149395th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wildfeuer surname appeared 110 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 Wildfeuer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wildfeuer 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 149395 148244 0.77%
Count 110 102 7.55%
Proportion per 100k 0.04 0.04 0.00%

The history of the last name Wildfeuer

The surname Wildfeuer originates from Germany and dates back to the medieval period. The name is rooted in the Middle High German words "wild" meaning "wild" or "untamed," and "feuer" meaning "fire." It is likely that the name was originally a descriptive surname, perhaps referring to someone with a fiery temperament or an uncontrolled nature, or associated with a person who worked with fire in some capacity such as a blacksmith or a particularly explosive character.

The regions where Wildfeuer originated are predominantly in the southern parts of Germany, especially in Bavaria and the surrounding areas. This is where many of the early records of the name have been found. In these areas, family names derived from characteristics and professions were commonly adopted as surnames.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wildfeuer appears in a Bavarian tax register from 1357. The document makes mention of a Heinrich Wildfeuer, who appears to have been a landowner of some significance. This suggests that the name had been established in the region well before the 14th century.

In the archives of the city of Nürnberg, a record from 1482 references a Martin Wildfeuer, who was a noted metalworker known for his skill in crafting intricate designs using fire-based techniques. His works were so respected that they were often commissioned by local nobility. Another significant mention is that of Johannes Wildfeuer, a soldier in the Thirty Years' War, who lived from 1598 to 1653. His service is detailed in military documents, where his bravery in battle was often highlighted.

A notable bearer of the surname in the 18th century was Friedrich Wildfeuer, born in 1732 and passed away in 1801. He was a renowned musician and composer, his works reflecting the rich cultural milieu of 18th century Germany. His compositions are still celebrated in regional folklore and have been preserved in local archives.

In the 19th century, the name continues to appear in various records, such as with Wilhelm Wildfeuer, an 1830-born chemist who made significant contributions in the field of metallurgy and the use of early chemical processes involving fire. His work was highly influential in the industrial advancements of his time.

The surname Wildfeuer is not just a relic of the past but has left a lasting legacy through the contributions of these historical figures across various fields. Each individual with the surname added to the rich tapestry of its meaning, cementing Wildfeuer as a name associated with creativity, bravery, and technical skill through the ages.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wildfeuer

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

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 Wildfeuer was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 93.64% 103
Non-Hispanic Black Only 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin (S)% (S)

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 Wildfeuer has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 93.64% 93.14% 0.54%
Black 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic (S)% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Wildfeuer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 13, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wildfeuer-surname-popularity/.

"Wildfeuer last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wildfeuer-surname-popularity/. Accessed 13 May, 2025

Wildfeuer last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wildfeuer-surname-popularity/.

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