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

Wurster, 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 Wurster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wurster in America

Wurster is the 13991st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wurster surname appeared 2,154 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 Wurster.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wurster 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 Wurster

The surname Wurster has its origins in Germany, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old German word "wurst," meaning sausage or meat product, and the suffix "-er," which denotes a person or occupation. This suggests that the name likely referred to a sausage maker or a person involved in the meat trade.

The earliest known record of the name Wurster appears in the town of Ulm, in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, in the year 1245. A document from that time mentions a person named Heinrich Wurster, who was a butcher by trade. This provides evidence that the name was already in use and associated with the meat industry during the medieval period.

In the 14th century, the name Wurster appeared in various regions of Germany, including the cities of Augsburg and Nuremberg. One notable individual from this period was Hans Wurster, a renowned sausage maker from Nuremberg, who lived from 1320 to 1385. His products were highly regarded and helped establish the city's reputation for quality sausages.

As the name spread across Germany, variations in spelling began to emerge, such as Wuerster, Wurstner, and Wurstmeister. These variations often reflected regional dialects or the specific occupation of the individual bearing the name.

In the 16th century, the name Wurster gained prominence in the principality of Baden, where several members of the family held positions of importance. One notable figure was Johann Wurster (1520-1588), who served as the mayor of the town of Baden-Baden.

As the Wurster family continued to expand and spread throughout Europe, some members immigrated to other countries, including the United States. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name in America was Johann Wurster, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 from Germany.

Other notable individuals with the surname Wurster include:

1. Karl Wurster (1808-1894), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Frankfurt Parliament.
2. Johann Baptist Wurster (1898-1972), a German sculptor and artist known for his religious works.
3. Richard Wurster (1901-1984), an American architect and urban planner who helped shape the field of urban design.
4. Curt Wurster (1905-1986), a German chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of colloid science.
5. Ingeborg Wurster (1935-2003), a German writer and poet known for her works exploring themes of identity and self-discovery.

The surname Wurster has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Germany, where it was likely associated with the meat trade and sausage making. Over the centuries, it has spread across Europe and beyond, with various spellings and variations reflecting regional influences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wurster

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

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

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

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