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

Wise, 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 Wise surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wise in America

Wise is the 485th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wise surname appeared 68,649 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 23 people would have the surname Wise.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wise 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 Wise

The surname Wise originated from the German personal name Wise, derived from the Middle High German "wis" meaning "wise" or "prudent". The name likely emerged in the 12th or 13th century as a nickname for someone considered exceptionally wise or learned.

The earliest known record of the surname Wise dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wisa". This Old English form of the name suggests that it may have been in use even earlier, before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

In the 13th century, the surname began appearing in various records across England, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where it is listed as "Wys" and "Wyse". During this period, the name was also found in Scotland, where it was spelled "Wys" or "Wyse".

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Wise, a prominent English landowner and member of Parliament who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Michael Wise, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian who studied at the University of Oxford.

In the 16th century, the surname Wise was found in various places across England, including the village of Wyse in Gloucestershire, which likely derived its name from the surname. During this time, the name was also found in other parts of Europe, such as Germany and the Netherlands, where it was spelled "Weise" or "Wijse".

One of the most famous bearers of the name was John Wise, an influential 17th-century American Puritan minister and writer who played a significant role in the establishment of American democracy. He was born in 1652 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and died in 1725.

Another notable figure was Thomas Wise, an English bibliographer and book collector who lived from 1859 to 1937. He was known for his extensive collection of rare books and manuscripts, as well as his contributions to the study of English literature.

In the 19th century, the surname Wise gained prominence in the United States with individuals such as Henry A. Wise, a politician and governor of Virginia who lived from 1806 to 1876. Isaac M. Wise, born in 1819 and died in 1900, was a prominent American rabbi and leader of the Reform Judaism movement.

Throughout history, the surname Wise has been associated with individuals known for their wisdom, intellect, and contributions to various fields, reflecting the meaning of the name itself.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wise

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

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

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

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