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

Wonderly, 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 Wonderly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wonderly in America

Wonderly is the 25793rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wonderly surname appeared 955 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 Wonderly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wonderly 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 Wonderly

The surname Wonderly is of German origin and is believed to have originated in the region of Rhineland-Palatinate or possibly in the surrounding areas of what is now modern-day Germany. The name likely appeared during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, a period of significant surname adoption in Europe. The surname might be derived from an older German word wenad, which means a turn or change, indicating a person who moved or turned frequently, metaphorically or literally.

Wonderly is also a variation of the German surname Wunderlich, which means miraculous or wondrous. The earliest references might indicate varying spellings such as Wundelich or Wunderlich, a common feature in medieval European names due to inconsistent spelling practices before the establishment of standard language rules.

A significant older record featuring the name Wonderly appears in late medieval German manuscripts. One such instance is from an archival document housed in the Hesse State Archive, dating back to 1473, where a Hans Wonderlich appears as a witness in a legal proceeding. This early record gives historical legitimacy to the name Wonderly being in use in Germany during the late 15th century.

Among the notable individuals with the surname Wonderly, one can mention Jacob Wonderly, born in 1750, a noted craftsman who was known for his fine woodwork in the Palatinate region. Another distinguished individual is Johann Wonderly, born in 1802, who was recognized for his contributions to local governance in Mainz during the early 19th century.

In America, the name Wonderly shows up with Johann Wilhelm Wonderly, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in 1753 and participated in the early formation of German-American communities in the state. During the 19th century, Christian Wonderly, born in 1829, made his mark as a pioneer in Illinois, contributing to agricultural development and local infrastructure.

One of the most prominent figures to carry the surname in recent history was Virginia Wonderly, born in 1889, who became known for her philanthropic work in New York during the early 20th century. Her contributions to education and social services remain well-documented in local histories of the area.

Wonderly has thus had a vibrant history, from its roots in medieval Germany to influential figures in various regions and periods, reflecting a legacy of movement, change, and notable achievements.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wonderly

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

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

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

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