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

Wismar, 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 Wismar surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wismar in America

Wismar is the 93125th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wismar surname appeared 197 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 Wismar.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wismar 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 Wismar

The surname Wismar has its origins in northern Germany, specifically from a region near the Baltic coast. Dating back to at least the medieval period, the name is closely associated with the town of Wismar in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The town itself was established in the early 13th century, with its name likely deriving from the Old German words "wine," meaning friend, and "mar," meaning sea, thus possibly translating to "friend of the sea."

The earliest records of the surname appear in documents from the Hanseatic League, a medieval commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. Wismar joined this powerful trade group in the 13th century, which could explain why the name started appearing in various records during that time. One of the oldest references is a 1280 document mentioning a merchant named Heinrich Wismar, engaged in trading between Lübeck and the Scandinavian countries.

Throughout the centuries, various notables have carried the surname Wismar. One prominent figure from the 15th century was Johann Wismar, born around 1420, a respected councilman in the town of Wismar who played a significant role in local politics and trade negotiations, living until 1482. Records from the 16th century reveal the existence of Mathias Wismar, born in 1532, who was an influential theologian and contributed to the Reformation movements in Northern Germany, passing away in 1598.

The name also appears in the context of maritime history. Captain Hans Wismar, a noted mariner born in 1605, made significant contributions to the exploration of the Baltic Sea regions, serving as a captain for several prominent Hanseatic ships until his death in 1661. Another historical reference includes Maria Wismar, born in 1734, an early female entrepreneur who owned and managed a successful trading post in Wismar until her death in 1792.

By the 18th century, the name had spread beyond Germany's borders, appearing in Swedish and Danish records due to the influence of the Hanseatic League and subsequent migration patterns. One notable Danish individual was Anders Wismar, born in 1765, who became recognized for his work in cartography, notably mapping parts of Denmark before his death in 1823.

These individuals have contributed to the rich tapestry of history associated with the Wismar surname, reflecting its deep roots in Northern European trade, governance, and exploration. The name remains a testament to the historical and cultural significance of the region from which it originates.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wismar

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

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

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

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