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

Wittner, 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 Wittner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wittner in America

Wittner is the 35582nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wittner surname appeared 632 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 Wittner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wittner 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 Wittner

The surname Wittner finds its origins in Central Europe, particularly around Germany and Austria. It dates back to the Middle Ages, a period when surnames began to be used for better identification within communities. Wittner is believed to derive from the German word "Witt," meaning white, and the suffix "ner," which is used to denote a person associated with a particular thing or place. Consequently, Wittner could be interpreted as meaning "someone from a white place" or "someone associated with whiteness," potentially referring to a snowy landscape or a pale complexion.

The earliest records of the surname Wittner are seen in medieval Germany and Austria. One of the notable mentions appears in the mid-14th century, where the name is listed in regional tax records. For example, a Johannes Wittner is mentioned in a 1365 Bavarian record related to land ownership.

One of the earliest well-documented individuals with the surname Wittner is Klaus Wittner, born circa 1420, who was a resident of Augsburg, Germany. Klaus is recorded in local council minutes as a merchant involved in the textile trade. His name appears in various trade agreements and disputes, illustrating the prevalence of the surname within mercantile circles of the region.

In the 16th century, another prominent figure was Friedrich Wittner, born in 1510 and died in 1584, a noted blacksmith in Vienna. His workshops were recognized for high-quality ironworks and tools, and his name appears in several guild documents from the period. Friedrich’s legacy contributed to the surname’s association with craftsmanship.

The surname makes an appearance in historical records of the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648). Captain Heinrich Wittner, born in 1582, is noted for his role in the conflict. Serving under the Protestant forces, his military career is documented in several military accounts and personal correspondences preserved in the archives.

Moving into the Enlightenment era, Johann Georg Wittner, born in 1705 and passed in 1776, was a renowned mathematician and philosopher based in Bavaria. His scholarly works, particularly a treatise on mathematical principles, feature his full name and have been cited in subsequent academic references.

Another noteworthy individual is Elsa Wittner, born circa 1801, an early 19th-century painter whose works were celebrated in Austrian art circles. Her landscape paintings, often exhibited in Vienna, frequently depicted rural scenes that captured the essence of her surname’s origin, reflecting snowy and white landscapes.

In summary, the surname Wittner has a rich history rooted in Central Europe, with origins pointing towards Germany and Austria. It has been borne by individuals involved in various professions and historical events, leaving a mark in diverse fields from commerce to military service, academia, and the arts. Historical records and documents over the centuries have preserved the legacy of the Wittner lineage, contributing to our understanding of its etymological and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wittner

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

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

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

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