2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Wirig
A variant of the Germanic surname derived from "wigric" meaning warrior.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wirig. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wirig 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Wirig in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirig, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wirig
The surname Wirig traces its origins to the German-speaking regions of Europe, particularly within modern-day Germany. The first emergence of the name is thought to be in the Rhineland-Palatinate area, dating back to the medieval period. Wirig may derive from the Middle High German word "wirg" meaning "strong" or "vigorous," reflecting the physical characteristics or the occupation of the original bearers. There are also theories that the name could be related to old regional names, intertwining with various dialects prevalent in the area during the Middle Ages.
Historical references to the surname appear in local records from the 14th and 15th centuries. One of the earliest documented instances is from a 1378 tax roll in the town of Mainz, where a Heinrich Wirig is listed as a landowner. Further references occur in church registers, particularly in areas like Trier, Koblenz, and other cities along the Rhine and Moselle rivers. The surname appears to have had variants such as Wirich or Wirik, denoting minor dialectical differences or clerical interpretations.
The Wirig family name was recorded in various historical contexts, including the 16th-century merchant records of Johann Wirig, born 1534, who was known for his trade in wines and textiles in the flourishing trade city of Cologne. Another notable figure was Margarete Wirig, born circa 1610, who was mentioned in municipal court records in Koblenz regarding a notable inheritance dispute. These instances cemented the presence of the Wirig surname in legal and commercial documents of their time, further solidifying its historical footprint.
In the 18th century, the name appeared in military records, with Captain Otto Wirig, born 1697, who served in the Prussian army during the War of Austrian Succession and left detailed diaries that provided insights into military strategies and daily life during the period. By the 19th century, the name was associated with academic pursuits, highlighted by Friedrich Wilhelm Wirig, born 1821, a prominent scholar in the field of philology who made significant contributions to the study of ancient Germanic languages.
Rounding out the historical references, in the late 19th century, Elisabeth Wirig, born 1857, emerged as a notable figure in cultural history, known for her influential work in the preservation of Rhineland folklore and oral traditions. Her writings captured the blend of historical and cultural heritage in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, bringing a deeper understanding of the local customs that influenced the Wirig name's evolution.
Throughout the centuries, the Wirig surname has proven resilient, maintaining its historical significance in various facets ranging from commerce and military to scholarship and cultural preservation. The enduring legacy of the name illustrates the rich tapestry of German history and the diverse roles played by individuals bearing the surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wirig
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirig, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wirig 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 Wirig surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 108
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wirig
Wirig appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+11 bearers (+11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,310 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+11.0%) | Up 12,310 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 Wirig 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 | #160,975 | #148,665 | 7.6% |
| Count | 100 | 111 | 11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wirig bearers went from 100 to 111 (+11.0% change). The surname moved up 12,310 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wirig surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wirig?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wirig. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wirig?
Wirig ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Wirig. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Wirig.
Has Wirig become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wirig went from 100 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 11 (+11.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wirig?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirig, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (0.9%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Wirig in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wirig appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Black (0.9%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Wirig (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 Wirig mean?
A variant of the Germanic surname derived from "wigric" meaning warrior. 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 Wirig (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 Americans have the surname Wirig?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.