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

Wurm, 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 Wurm surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wurm in America

Wurm is the 16586th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wurm surname appeared 1,729 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wurm.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wurm 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 Wurm

The surname Wurm is of German origin, with the earliest records of the name appearing in medieval Germany. The name is generally considered to be a topographic or descriptive surname, deriving from the Middle High German word "wurm," which means “serpent” or “dragon.” This term was likely used to describe someone who lived in an area associated with serpents or to characterize a person believed to have traits associated with the mythical dragon.

Medieval records from the regions of Bavaria and Saxony contain some of the earliest mentions of the surname Wurm. These areas were rich in folklore and myths concerning dragons and serpents, making the name quite fitting for the time period. An early record of the surname appears in a manuscript from the 13th century, documenting a man named Heinrich Wurm in Bavaria circa 1270.

In the Holy Roman Empire, surnames began to be standardized during the 12th and 13th centuries, which corresponds with some of the earliest documented appearances of Wurm. The surname also appeared in slightly different spellings such as Wurmb and Wurme depending on the local dialects and orthographic variations of the period. These spellings have been found in old records, including tax documents and church registries.

One notable figure bearing the surname from the 16th century is Hans Wurm, a master stonemason born in 1501 and who contributed to the construction of fortifications in the Bavarian region. Wurm is also a surname noted in military records; for instance, Georg Wurm, a mercenary captain, was recorded in Swiss military annals in 1543, well-known for his exploits during the Italian Wars.

Another prominent individual was Michael Wurm, an intellectual and theologian born in 1725 in Württemberg, who authored several theological texts and was an influential figure in the Lutheran church during the mid-18th century. His scholarly works often included commentary on the Bible, reflecting the name’s longstanding association with both religious and mythic contexts.

In arts and sciences, Ludwig Wurm, born in 1853, was a noted German painter associated with the realism movement. His works primarily depicted rural scenes and daily life in the German countryside, capturing the spirit of the areas traditionally inhabited by families bearing the Wurm surname.

Lastly, Ursula Wurm was a significant figure in political history, born in 1902. She became one of the early female politicians in Germany, advocating for women's rights and social reform during the early to mid-20th century, a testament to the evolving nature of the surname and its bearers throughout history.

The surname Wurm thus carries a rich tapestry of historical significance, ranging from mythical allusions to notable contributions in various fields spanning several centuries. Its origins in medieval Germany reflect both the cultural context of the regions and the linguistic characteristics of the time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wurm

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

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

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

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