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

Wiltz, 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 Wiltz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiltz in America

Wiltz is the 11095th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiltz surname appeared 2,861 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wiltz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiltz 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 Wiltz

The surname Wiltz has its origins in Germany, and it is believed to have emerged during the medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century. The name is thought to be derived from the German word "wilz," which means "wild" or "untamed." This could suggest that the name was initially given to someone who lived in a remote or wilderness area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wiltz can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Anhaltinus, a collection of historical documents from the Anhalt region of Germany, dating back to the 12th century. In this collection, there is a reference to a person named "Wilcze," which is believed to be an earlier spelling variation of the surname Wiltz.

Another significant historical reference to the name Wiltz can be found in the Annales Fuldenses, a chronicle of events from the Frankish Empire, compiled by monks at the Fulda monastery in Germany. This chronicle mentions a nobleman named "Wiltzius" who lived during the 9th century.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Wiltz was Johann Wiltz, a German scholar and theologian who lived in the 15th century (c. 1420-1490). He was known for his contributions to the study of canon law and served as a professor at the University of Leipzig.

In the 16th century, there was a notable figure named Hans Wiltz (c. 1510-1580), who was a German military commander and diplomat. He played a crucial role in the events surrounding the Schmalkaldic War, a conflict between the Protestant princes and the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Another prominent individual with the surname Wiltz was Friedrich Wiltz (1772-1854), a German-born military officer who served in the Prussian army. He fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Pour le Mérite order for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

During the 19th century, the surname Wiltz was also found in the United States. One notable American with this surname was John Wiltz (1828-1902), a politician and lawyer from Louisiana who served as a member of the Louisiana State Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

The surname Wiltz has also been associated with several place names, particularly in Germany and Luxembourg. For instance, the town of Wiltz in northern Luxembourg is believed to have derived its name from the surname, possibly indicating that it was founded or inhabited by individuals bearing this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiltz

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

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

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

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