Find out how popular the last name Wirtes is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wirtes.
Occupational surname derived from a variant spelling of "wright" or "maker".
Wirtes, 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 Wirtes surname is from the 2010 census data.
Wirtes is the 153769th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The Wirtes surname appeared 106 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 Wirtes.
We can also compare 2010 data for Wirtes 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 | 153769 | 142819 | 7.38% |
Count | 106 | 107 | -0.94% |
Proportion per 100k | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.00% |
The surname Wirtes has its origins rooted in medieval Germany, particularly from regions that are now part of modern-day Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. The name appears to be derived from the medieval German word Wirt, which translates to innkeeper or host. This etymological link suggests that individuals carrying the surname might have been associated with taverns or inns, a common and important establishment in medieval society.
One of the earliest references to the surname Wirtes can be found in the 13th century, within a manuscript that recorded tax assessments in southern Germany. These early records frequently used varied spellings such as Wirtz, Wirtze, and Wirtes, reflecting the absence of standardized spelling in medieval script. The name was prevalent among those who perhaps managed inns along key trade routes.
Historical figures with the surname include Hans Wirtes, a 15th-century innkeeper from the Swabian region, who was mentioned in a local town charter for his contributions to the town's economy. Another notable individual was Anna Wirtes, born circa 1520, who was recorded in church registries as a benefactor to local convents and educational institutions. These entries illustrate the community-oriented roles occupied by many with this surname.
Gottfried Wirtes, an artisan and craftsperson born in 1585, gained recognition for his metalwork, which was notably documented in the records of the guilds of Nuremberg. This particular connection to craftsmanship indicates the diverse occupational backgrounds historically associated with the name.
By the 17th century, records from the Thirty Years' War include a Lieutenant Johannes Wirtes of the Imperial Army, emphasizing the military service of some bearing this name. These documents illustrate the further expansion of the surname across various layers of society.
In the 19th century, Johann Christoph Wirtes, born in 1804 in Bavaria, was an influential political figure during the revolutions of 1848-1849. His documented speeches and political activities highlight the evolving socioeconomic roles taken on by individuals with this surname.
The surname Wirtes thus maps a rich tapestry of German history, from its origins in trade and hospitality to its presence in crafts, military service, and political activism. These historical instances underscore the diverse paths taken by the Wirtes family name over the centuries.
We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wirtes.
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:
For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wirtes was:
Race/Ethnicity | Percentage | Total Occurrences |
---|---|---|
Non-Hispanic White Only | 98.11% | 104 |
Non-Hispanic Black Only | (S)% | (S) |
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0 |
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races | 0.00% | 0 |
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 Wirtes has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.
2010 | 2000 | Change (%) | |
---|---|---|---|
White | 98.11% | 99.00% | -0.90% |
Black | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
Asian and Pacific Islander | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Two or More Races | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Hispanic | (S)% | 0.00% | (S)% |
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 Wirtes was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.
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<a href="http://namecensus.com/last-names/wirtes-surname-popularity/">Wirtes last name popularity, history, and meaning</a>
"Wirtes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 22, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wirtes-surname-popularity/.
"Wirtes last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wirtes-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 June, 2025
Wirtes last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wirtes-surname-popularity/.
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