2000
#18,947
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,332
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.49
Rare Last name
Wingerter
A German surname derived from a place name and meaning "someone from Wingerter."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,445 Americans carry the last name Wingerter. That puts it at #21,189 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.42 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 237,200 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wingerter 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
1.4K
1 in 237,200
Census rank
#21,189
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,260 bearers of the surname Wingerter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.42 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21189th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingerter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wingerter
The surname Wingerter has its origins in Germany, specifically in the Rhineland area, a region known for its extensive history in viticulture. The name derives from the Middle High German word "wingert," meaning "vineyard," combined with the suffix "er," indicating someone who works or resides in the vineyard. The name essentially refers to a vine grower or a vintner, a profession that was quite significant in the wine-producing regions of the Rhine.
The earliest mention of the name can be traced back to medieval times, around the 13th and 14th centuries, when surnames began to be used more consistently. Historical records from this period show variations of the name such as Wingert, Wingerter, and Wingartner. These variations often depended on regional dialects and the level of literacy of the scribes documenting the names.
One of the earliest documented individuals with this surname is Hans Wingerter, who was mentioned in records from the late 15th century in the city of Mainz, a significant center of the Holy Roman Empire and a notable wine trading area. His profession was listed as a vineyard manager, indicating the occupational origin of the name.
Georg Wingerter was another significant figure, recorded in the early 16th century in Worms, another city in the Rhineland with a strong tradition of wine production. His involvement in local viticulture is well-documented in civic records, highlighting the link between the surname and the profession.
The name continued to appear in various records throughout the following centuries. Johannes Wingerter, born in 1624 and passing in 1691, was a well-known vineyard owner in the Palatinate region during the Thirty Years War, playing a crucial role in reviving the local wine industry post-conflict.
Moving into the 18th century, Maria Elisabeth Wingerter, born in 1702, gained recognition as a successful vineyard proprietor in the Rheingau region. Her management of the family vineyards during a period of economic hardship is frequently referenced in local annals, illustrating the enduring significance of the Wingerter name in the wine trade.
In the 19th century, Claus Wingerter, born in 1867 in the region of Nahe, continued the family tradition with notable success. His innovations in viticulture and winemaking techniques were influential in the modernization of German wine production during this period. His contributions are still referenced in contemporary studies of viticultural history.
Throughout history, the Wingerter surname has maintained a strong association with viticulture and winemaking in the Germanic regions of Europe. The name serves as a testament to the enduring legacy of vineyard workers and their crucial role in the development of one of the world’s most beloved beverages: wine.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wingerter
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingerter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wingerter 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 Wingerter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.8% · 1,169
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 43
- Two or more races2.9% · 36
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 9
- Black or African American0.2% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wingerter
Wingerter 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
#20,116
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,328
-4 bearers (-0.3%)
Per 100,000 0.45
Rank movement Down 1,169 places
2020
#21,189
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,260
-68 bearers (-5.1%)
Per 100,000 0.42
Rank movement Down 1,073 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #18,947 | 1,332 | 0.49 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #20,116 | 1,328 | 0.45 | -4 bearers (-0.3%) | Down 1,169 places |
| 2020 | #21,189 | 1,260 | 0.42 | -68 bearers (-5.1%) | Down 1,073 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 Wingerter 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 | #20,116 | #21,189 | -5.3% |
| Count | 1,328 | 1,260 | -5.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.45 | 0.42 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wingerter bearers went from 1,328 to 1,260 (-5.1% change). The surname moved down 1,073 positions in the national ranking, going from #20,116 to #21,189.
FAQ
Wingerter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wingerter?
Name Census estimates that about 1,445 living Americans carry the surname Wingerter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 237,200 residents.
How common is Wingerter?
Wingerter ranks #21,189 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.42 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 1,260 people with the surname Wingerter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,445), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.42 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.42 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 Wingerter.
Has Wingerter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wingerter went from 1,328 recorded bearers to 1,260. That is a decrease of 68 (-5.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #20,116 to #21,189.
What does the Census say about the background of Wingerter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingerter, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Wingerter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.8% (1,169 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wingerter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.8%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Wingerter (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 Wingerter mean?
A German surname derived from a place name and meaning "someone from Wingerter." 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 Wingerter (0.42 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 Wingerter?
Find out how common the surname Wingerter is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.