2000
#20,887
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,175
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.44
Rare Last name
Wissinger
A locative surname derived from the German town of Wissingen.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,344 Americans carry the last name Wissinger. That puts it at #22,503 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.39 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 255,026 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wissinger 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
1.3K
1 in 255,026
Census rank
#22,503
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,172 bearers of the surname Wissinger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.39 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 22503rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wissinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wissinger
The surname Wissinger finds its origins in Germany, dating back to the medieval period. Derived from the Old High German word "wisa," meaning meadow or pasture, the name likely referred to individuals who lived near or worked in such areas. The suffix "inger" is a common Germanic addition that often signifies a connection to a place or occupation.
The earliest records of the Wissinger surname can be traced back to the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, areas rich in lush meadows and agricultural lands. Variations of the surname appeared in old manuscripts and church records, often showing slight differences in spelling such as Wisinger or Wissinger. These variations were common due to the lack of standardized spelling in historical documents.
In the 14th century, the name Wissinger appeared in legal documents and land grants. One of the earliest recorded instances is a Hans Wissinger, mentioned in a land transfer document dated 1372. The document indicated that he was a landowner in a rural area, reinforcing the name’s connection to meadows and pastures.
A notable figure with the surname was Johann Wissinger, born in 1485 in the territory of Swabia. He was a prominent farmer who became well-known for his advanced farming techniques, contributing significantly to the agricultural developments of his time. His methods were documented in local agricultural records, which have been preserved in regional archives.
In the 17th century, the Wissinger name appeared in the records of the Thirty Years' War. A soldier named Georg Wissinger, born in 1610, served under the Catholic League. His military service is noted in several military rosters and personal letters from that time, detailing his involvement in pivotal battles and his contributions to the war efforts.
By the 18th century, members of the Wissinger family began to migrate, with records indicating their presence in Austria and Switzerland. One such individual, Maria Wissinger, born in 1742, moved to Zurich and became a successful silk merchant. Her business acumen was well-regarded, and she established a family lineage that continued to thrive in the textile industry.
In the 19th century, the Wissinger surname crossed the Atlantic with the wave of German immigrants to the United States. Karl Wissinger, born in 1809, settled in Pennsylvania in 1834. He became a respected community member and was instrumental in founding a Lutheran church in his new hometown. His descendants continued to contribute to the community, with several becoming prominent local politicians and businessmen.
Another significant figure was Helmut Wissinger, born in 1856 in Baden-Württemberg. He emigrated to Brazil, where he became a pioneer in the agricultural sector, introducing innovative farming practices that greatly improved crop yields. His impact was substantial, and his legacy is still remembered in the region.
The surname Wissinger carries with it centuries of history, rooted in the agrarian lifestyle of medieval Germany and branching out across continents as the family expanded and migrated. The name continues to be a testament to the industrious and resilient spirit of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wissinger
Among Census respondents with the surname Wissinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wissinger 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 Wissinger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.7% · 1,087
- Hispanic or Latino4.3% · 50
- Two or more races1.8% · 21
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 6
- Black or African American0.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wissinger
Wissinger 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
#31,587
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 732
-443 bearers (-37.7%)
Per 100,000 0.25
Rank movement Down 10,700 places
2020
#22,503
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,172
+440 bearers (+60.1%)
Per 100,000 0.39
Rank movement Up 9,084 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,887 | 1,175 | 0.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #31,587 | 732 | 0.25 | -443 bearers (-37.7%) | Down 10,700 places |
| 2020 | #22,503 | 1,172 | 0.39 | +440 bearers (+60.1%) | Up 9,084 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 Wissinger 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 | #31,587 | #22,503 | 28.8% |
| Count | 732 | 1,172 | 60.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.25 | 0.39 | 56.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wissinger bearers went from 732 to 1,172 (+60.1% change). The surname moved up 9,084 positions in the national ranking, going from #31,587 to #22,503.
FAQ
Wissinger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wissinger?
Name Census estimates that about 1,344 living Americans carry the surname Wissinger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 255,026 residents.
How common is Wissinger?
Wissinger ranks #22,503 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.39 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 1,172 people with the surname Wissinger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,344), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.39 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.39 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 Wissinger.
Has Wissinger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wissinger went from 732 recorded bearers to 1,172. That is an increase of 440 (+60.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #31,587 to #22,503.
What does the Census say about the background of Wissinger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wissinger, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.3%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Wissinger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.7% (1,087 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wissinger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.7%), Hispanic (4.3%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Wissinger (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 Wissinger mean?
A locative surname derived from the German town of Wissingen. 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 Wissinger (0.39 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 many people are called Wissinger?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Wissinger on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.