2000
#29,964
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 739
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.27
Very Rare Last name
Wisser
A variant spelling of the German surname Weiser, meaning "wise" or "sagacious."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 823 Americans carry the last name Wisser. That puts it at #34,057 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.24 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 416,469 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wisser 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
823
1 in 416,469
Census rank
#34,057
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
718
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 718 bearers of the surname Wisser in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.24 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 34057th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wisser
The surname Wisser has its origins in Central Europe, particularly in Germany. The name is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century. It is most commonly found in the regions of Bavaria and the Rhineland, areas known for their rich cultural history and dense populations.
The surname Wisser likely derives from the Middle High German word "wisser," which means “one who knows” or “wise man.” It may have originated as a nickname for someone considered knowledgeable or wise within their community. Alternatively, it could relate to the word "Weiser," meaning "guide" or "leader," again reflecting a person of significant wisdom or standing.
Historical records bearing the name Wisser are relatively scarce but valuable. One of the earliest references can be found in the records of the city of Cologne in the late 13th century, where a Heinrich Wisser is documented as a merchant around 1284. This indicates the name was in use among the burgeoning middle class of tradespeople and merchants during this period.
Another notable individual is Johann Wisser, a craftsman recorded in Nuremberg in 1453. He was known for his work in metal and contributed to the city's reputation as a center of artistic and technical innovation during the late medieval period. His renown highlights the occupational diversity of those bearing the surname.
In the late 16th century, a Matthias Wisser appeared in the records of the University of Heidelberg, having entered as a student in 1587. His enrollment at this prominent institution signifies the family's continued association with learning and intellectual pursuits spanning several centuries.
By the 17th century, the name had spread beyond Germany. An example includes Wilhelm Wisser, who emigrated to the Netherlands in 1623. With the name now appearing in Dutch records, it illustrates the migration patterns of families and the diffusion of surnames across European borders during this era.
In the 19th century, Karl Heinrich Wisser became a well-known figure in the field of philology, born in 1837 and passing in 1904. His contributions to the study of language and literature further exemplify the name's longstanding connection to knowledge and scholarship.
Throughout history, the surname Wisser has been associated with wisdom, learning, and varied vocations ranging from craftsmanship to academia. Each documented individual bearing this name has contributed to its rich and multifaceted legacy, reflecting a tradition of intellectual and artisanal prowess.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wisser
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Wisser 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 Wisser surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.9% · 667
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 35
- Two or more races1.1% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 6
- Black or African American0.3% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wisser
Wisser 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
#37,341
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 597
-142 bearers (-19.2%)
Per 100,000 0.20
Rank movement Down 7,377 places
2020
#34,057
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 718
+121 bearers (+20.3%)
Per 100,000 0.24
Rank movement Up 3,284 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #29,964 | 739 | 0.27 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #37,341 | 597 | 0.20 | -142 bearers (-19.2%) | Down 7,377 places |
| 2020 | #34,057 | 718 | 0.24 | +121 bearers (+20.3%) | Up 3,284 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 Wisser 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 | #37,341 | #34,057 | 8.8% |
| Count | 597 | 718 | 20.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.20 | 0.24 | 20.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wisser bearers went from 597 to 718 (+20.3% change). The surname moved up 3,284 positions in the national ranking, going from #37,341 to #34,057.
FAQ
Wisser surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wisser?
Name Census estimates that about 823 living Americans carry the surname Wisser. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 416,469 residents.
How common is Wisser?
Wisser ranks #34,057 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.24 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 718 people with the surname Wisser. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (823), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.24 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.24 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 Wisser.
Has Wisser become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wisser went from 597 recorded bearers to 718. That is an increase of 121 (+20.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #37,341 to #34,057.
What does the Census say about the background of Wisser?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisser, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.9%) and Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Wisser in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.9% (667 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wisser appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.9%), Hispanic (4.9%), Two or More Races (1.1%). 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 Wisser (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 Wisser mean?
A variant spelling of the German surname Weiser, meaning "wise" or "sagacious." 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 Wisser (0.24 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 common is the surname Wisser?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how common the surname Wisser is at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.