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

Wiser, 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 Wiser surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiser in America

Wiser is the 8281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiser surname appeared 4,002 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wiser.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiser 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 Wiser

The surname WISER is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "wiser" meaning "wise" or "knowledgeable". It is believed to have first appeared in the 12th century as a descriptive surname given to individuals who were considered wise or learned.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various German records and documents from the Middle Ages. One notable example is the mention of a certain Heinricus Wiser in the Codex Diplomaticus, a collection of historical records from the region of Saxony, dating back to the 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name Wiser began to spread beyond the borders of Germany, with records indicating individuals bearing this surname in neighboring regions such as Austria and Switzerland. For instance, a certain Johannes Wiser was mentioned in a Swiss manuscript from the year 1372.

As the name continued to spread throughout Europe, it also underwent slight variations in spelling, with forms such as Wyser, Weiszer, and Weiser appearing in various records. One notable bearer of the name was the German theologian and philosopher Caspar Wiser (1592-1676), who was a prominent figure during the Protestant Reformation.

Another individual of note was the German-American botanist and horticulturist Johann Georg Wiser (1713-1779), who immigrated to Pennsylvania and is credited with introducing several plant species to the Americas.

In England, the name Wiser can be traced back to the 16th century, with a record of a certain Robert Wiser residing in the county of Gloucestershire in the year 1567.

Other notable individuals bearing the surname Wiser include the Austrian composer and organist Johann Wiser (1678-1732), the German-American artist and illustrator William Wiser (1836-1923), and the American novelist and playwright Robert Wiser (1914-2000).

While the surname Wiser is not among the most common family names globally, it has left its mark throughout history, with individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields such as academia, theology, horticulture, and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiser

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

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

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

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