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

Witmer, 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 Witmer surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Witmer in America

Witmer is the 5386th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Witmer surname appeared 6,461 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Witmer.

We can also compare 2010 data for Witmer 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 Witmer

The surname WITMER is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "witu" meaning "wood" or "forest". It is believed to have originated in the southern regions of Germany, particularly in the areas surrounding the Black Forest, during the 12th or 13th century.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WITMER surname can be found in a document dated 1304, which mentions a Hans Witmer from the town of Freiburg im Breisgau. This region was known for its extensive woodlands, and it is likely that the name was initially bestowed upon individuals who lived or worked in forested areas.

The WITMER surname can also be traced back to the town of Wittmund in Lower Saxony, Germany. Historical records from the 16th century mention several families with variations of the name, such as Witmund, Witmund, and Witmunder, residing in this area.

In the 17th century, the WITMER surname appeared in various church records and tax rolls throughout Germany, with variations in spelling such as Wittmer, Wittmyer, and Wittmair. One notable individual from this period was Johannes Wittmer, a renowned clockmaker from Nuremberg, born in 1620.

As the WITMER family spread throughout Europe, the surname made its way to other countries, including Switzerland and the Netherlands. In the late 18th century, a Swiss immigrant named Jakob Witmer settled in Pennsylvania, USA, bringing the name to the New World.

Other notable individuals with the WITMER surname include:

1. Johann Georg Witmer (1751-1823), a German-American clockmaker who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the late 18th century.
2. Charles Witmer (1843-1916), an American businessman and politician who served as the Mayor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
3. Marguerite Witmer (1889-1983), an American psychologist and pioneer in the field of clinical psychology.
4. Ralph Witmer (1932-2018), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Witmer Associates consulting firm.
5. James Witmer (born 1961), an American actor known for his roles in television shows like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" and "NYPD Blue".

The WITMER surname has a rich history rooted in the forested regions of southern Germany, and its various spellings and spellings reflect the migration patterns of families bearing this name across Europe and eventually to the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Witmer

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

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

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

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