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

Wolbach, 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 Wolbach surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wolbach in America

Wolbach is the 79338th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wolbach surname appeared 240 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 Wolbach.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wolbach 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 Wolbach

The surname Wolbach has its roots in the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically within areas that are now modern-day Germany and Austria. It is believed to have originated around the 12th or 13th century, a period during which surnames were becoming more widespread in Europe. One of the older spellings of the name includes Wolback, which underwent minor phonetic changes over time.

The name Wolbach is composed of two elements: "Wol" and "bach." The component "Wol" could be derived from the old Germanic word "wolf," meaning the animal wolf, which was common in names as a symbol of strength and loyalty. The word "bach" translates to "brook" or "stream" in German. Therefore, it is plausible that Wolbach initially referred to someone living by a stream frequented by wolves or where wolves were commonly found.

Historical records from medieval German manuscripts often referenced families with similar-sounding names. One of the earliest mentions can be traced back to the 14th century when a person named Heinrich Wolbach appeared in property and tax records in the region that is now Bavaria. Heinrich Wolbach, born around 1320, owned an estate that was documented in local records.

The surname also appears in various historical documents and records across different parts of Germany. In the 16th century, a notable figure was Georg Wolbach, who served as a councilman in the town of Mainz. Georg Wolbach, born in 1532 and died in 1589, made significant contributions to town planning and architecture.

Another significant individual was Johannes Wolbach, a Lutheran pastor born in 1610, who became known for his theological writings during the Thirty Years' War. His texts were influential in the religious discourse of the time, contributing to the academic and spiritual life of the region.

By the 18th century, the dissemination of the surname had spread further within Europe. The name appears in the records of the Prussian army with Captain Karl Friedrich Wolbach, born in 1735, who took part in conflicts during the Silesian Wars under Frederick the Great. His military career highlighted the presence of Wolbach families in the broader Germanic territories.

In the 19th century, Johann Peter Wolbach, a renowned botanist born in 1816, made significant contributions to the study of plant species in Central Europe. His meticulous documentation of flora expanded the scientific community’s understanding of regional biodiversity.

In sum, the Wolbach surname carries a rich historical significance tied to various regions within German-speaking Europe. It reflects a lineage associated with geographical features, social status, religious influence, and scientific contributions through history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wolbach

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

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

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

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