2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wirtes
Occupational surname derived from a variant spelling of "wright" or "maker".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Wirtes. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wirtes 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Wirtes in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirtes, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wirtes
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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wirtes
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirtes, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wirtes 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 Wirtes surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 104
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wirtes
Wirtes 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,950 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,815 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,950 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 5,815 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 Wirtes 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 | #153,769 | #147,954 | 3.8% |
| Count | 106 | 112 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wirtes bearers went from 106 to 112 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 5,815 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #147,954.
FAQ
Wirtes surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wirtes?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Wirtes. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Wirtes?
Wirtes ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Wirtes. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Wirtes.
Has Wirtes become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wirtes went from 106 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Wirtes?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wirtes, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Wirtes in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wirtes appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Hispanic (1.8%). 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 Wirtes (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 Wirtes mean?
Occupational surname derived from a variant spelling of "wright" or "maker". 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 Wirtes (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 Wirtes?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.