2000
#137,816
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wittenhagen
A locational surname derived from a place name likely meaning "white settlement" or "bright settlement".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Wittenhagen. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wittenhagen 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Wittenhagen in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wittenhagen
The surname Wittenhagen finds its origin in Germany, dating back to the medieval period. The name is believed to be derived from geographical locations, specifically referencing the names of towns or villages in Germany. The prefix Witten is likely derived from the Old High German word witu, meaning "wood" or "forest," indicating that the name originally described someone who lived by or in a woodland area. The suffix hagen is derived from Middle Low German and Middle High German hagen, which means "enclosure" or "hedge," pointing to a settlement or enclosed piece of land. Together, Wittenhagen suggests a place enclosed by a forest or within a woody area.
Historical references to the name Wittenhagen can be traced back to various regions in what is now modern-day Germany, with a particular concentration in the northern part of the country, including places like Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Medieval documents, such as land grants or property charters, often recorded the surname in relation to ownership or occupancy of land.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the mid-14th century. A man named Johannes von Wittenhagen, a landowner, was documented in a 1356 land register located in the region of Mecklenburg. Historical manuscripts sometimes show variations in spelling, such as Witenhagen or Witthenhagen, reflecting the phonetic spellings of the time.
Throughout history, the Wittenhagen family name has appeared in various documents, often associated with landholding and local governance. One prominent individual was Hermann Wittenhagen, born in 1423 and who served as a jurist in the Hanseatic League's courts, advancing legal standards and regulations in North Germany until his death in 1489.
Another notable figure is Margarethe Wittenhagen, born circa 1530, who was a well-known herbalist in Pomerania. She died in 1592 and left behind manuscripts detailing local plant medicine, which were quite influential during her time.
Christopher Wittenhagen (1645-1710) was recorded as a merchant and shipowner in the bustling port city of Lübeck. His ventures significantly contributed to trade in the Baltic region, as his ships carried goods between Scandinavian countries and the German principalities.
In the 18th century, Friedrich von Wittenhagen, born in 1732, gained recognition as a military officer serving in the Prussian Army. His career spanned numerous conflicts, including the Seven Years' War, and he was noted for his strategic acumen before his death in 1791.
By the 19th century, the surname found mentions in academic circles. Karl Wittenhagen, born in 1821, was a notable figure in the field of entomology. His extensive research on Central European butterflies and moths made significant contributions to the Entomological Society's scientific collections before he passed away in 1894.
The name Wittenhagen, with its rich historical connections to land, governance, and professions, serves as a testament to the diverse roles its bearers played in historical German society. Each individual carrying the name added to the tapestry of its legacy through contributions in their respective eras and fields.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wittenhagen
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wittenhagen 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 Wittenhagen surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wittenhagen
Wittenhagen 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-11 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 21,896 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+12 bearers (+11.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 12,491 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #137,816 | 112 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 21,896 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+11.9%) | Up 12,491 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 Wittenhagen 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 | #159,712 | #147,221 | 7.8% |
| Count | 101 | 113 | 11.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 26.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wittenhagen bearers went from 101 to 113 (+11.9% change). The surname moved up 12,491 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #147,221.
FAQ
Wittenhagen surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wittenhagen?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Wittenhagen. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Wittenhagen?
Wittenhagen ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 113 people with the surname Wittenhagen. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Wittenhagen.
Has Wittenhagen become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wittenhagen went from 101 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 12 (+11.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Wittenhagen?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenhagen, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.7%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Wittenhagen in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wittenhagen appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (2.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Wittenhagen (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 Wittenhagen mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name likely meaning "white settlement" or "bright settlement". 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 Wittenhagen (0.04 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 share the surname Wittenhagen?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.