2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wildhagen
A German surname derived from "wild" and "hagen" meaning from the wild hedge or enclosure.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Wildhagen. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wildhagen 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Wildhagen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wildhagen
The surname Wildhagen originates from Germany and dates back to the medieval period. It is a geographical or topographical name, likely referring to someone who lived near or in a wild enclosure or property. The name is derived from the German word "wild," meaning wild or untamed, and "Hagen," meaning hedged area or enclosure, thus suggesting a place surrounded by hedges or a natural boundary.
Early references to the surname can be found in medieval German manuscripts and regional records. The name Wildhagen is believed to have been used in regions such as Lower Saxony and Westphalia. Spelling variations over time include Wildhag, Wildhager, and Wildhägen, reflections of the regional dialects and phonetic interpretations prevalent in historical records.
The earliest recorded example of the surname appears in a 14th-century tax register in the town of Hannover, featuring a Heinrich Wildhagen, a landowner and farmer circa 1370. The name also emerges in municipal records from the early 15th century in the city of Braunschweig, where a merchant named Ludolf Wildhagen is noted for his trade in wool and cloth.
Another historical figure is Johann Wildhagen, born in 1598 and deceased in 1654, a Lutheran pastor from Hamburg known for his theological writings and involvement in local religious disputes. His contemporaries often noted his last name in various church and university documents, further solidifying the surname's presence in academic circles.
In the realm of arts, Friedrich Wildhagen (1821-1875) was a well-known landscape painter from Munich. His works often depicted the natural scenes of the Bavarian countryside, reflecting a deep connection to the wild and untamed beauty suggested by his surname. His contributions were regularly featured in art exhibitions and cultural magazines of his time.
Carl von Wildhagen, born in 1805 and deceased in 1872, was a Prussian military officer recognized for his role during the German revolutions of 1848-1849. Distinguished for his strategic acumen and leadership, he receives mentions in various military dispatches and historical accounts of the era.
Notably, Mathilde Wildhagen, a social reformer and women's rights advocate born in 1868 and passed away in 1934, established several key organizations aimed at improving the welfare of women and children in Berlin. Her work is frequently highlighted in early 20th-century social studies and reformist literature.
The surname Wildhagen thus stands as a notable part of German historical and cultural heritage, reflected in its geographical roots and the influential figures who bore it. Each bearer of the name contributes uniquely to its enduring legacy across various fields and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wildhagen
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wildhagen 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 Wildhagen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 3
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wildhagen
Wildhagen 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
#136,449
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
-14 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 18,911 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-5 bearers (-4.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,062 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #136,449 | 123 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 18,911 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.1%) | Down 7,062 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 Wildhagen 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 | #136,449 | #143,511 | -5.2% |
| Count | 123 | 118 | -4.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wildhagen bearers went from 123 to 118 (-4.1% change). The surname moved down 7,062 positions in the national ranking, going from #136,449 to #143,511.
FAQ
Wildhagen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wildhagen?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Wildhagen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Wildhagen?
Wildhagen ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Wildhagen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Wildhagen.
Has Wildhagen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wildhagen went from 123 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #136,449 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Wildhagen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.5%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Wildhagen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wildhagen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (2.5%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Wildhagen (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 Wildhagen mean?
A German surname derived from "wild" and "hagen" meaning from the wild hedge or enclosure. 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 Wildhagen (0.04 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 Wildhagen?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the last name Wildhagen at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.