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

Wiskus, 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 Wiskus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiskus in America

Wiskus is the 76533rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiskus surname appeared 251 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 Wiskus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiskus 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 Wiskus

The surname Wiskus finds its origins in the regions of Germany, specifically during the medieval period. This name appears to have been primarily associated with the areas now known as North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. The etymology of Wiskus is likely derived from the Old German personal name Wisgo or Wischo, which itself could have roots in the Germanic element "wis" meaning wise.

Historical references to the surname Wiskus can be traced back to various medieval manuscripts and records. One of the earliest documented instances appeared in a land grant from the mid-13th century in which a Hennig Wiskus is noted as a noble land owner in the Lower Saxony region. This reflects the standing of the Wiskus family during that era, indicating their prominence in local affairs.

In 1420, another significant record mentions a Hermann Wiskus, a merchant in the Hanseatic League city of Lübeck. Merchants such as Hermann often traveled extensively, contributing to the spread of their surnames across different regions, and helping to establish the Wiskus name not just in Germany but also in neighboring countries.

The surname also appears in various parish registers from the 16th century onward. Johannes Wiskus, recorded in the baptismal registers of Cologne in 1567, is another individual of note. This suggests that the family may have continued to hold some prominence in northern German cities through the Renaissance period.

One notable individual bearing this surname was Margarethe Wiskus, born in 1642, who was known for her charitable works in her local community of Osnabrück. Her contributions were recorded in several church documents highlighting the lasting legacy the Wiskus family left on their localities through generations.

Historically, the Wiskus name often appeared in association with agricultural landowners and civic leaders. By the 18th century, the family name had spread further afield within Germany. A prominent example includes Dietrich Wiskus, who became a local magistrate in Essen around 1791. His judicial decisions and reforms were documented in legal records of that period, reflecting the family's ongoing influential role.

The surname Wiskus continues to be a testament to the historical depth and widespread influence of Germanic naming traditions. Its association with wisdom and leadership in the domains of commerce, charity, and governance underscores the significant impact individuals bearing this name had on their communities through the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiskus

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!