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

Wurtz, 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 Wurtz surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wurtz in America

Wurtz is the 13029th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wurtz surname appeared 2,357 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 Wurtz.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wurtz 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 Wurtz

The surname Wurtz originated in Germany and dates back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Old German word "wurz," which means "root" or "plant." This suggests that the name may have been associated with those who worked with plants or roots, such as herbalists or gardeners.

The earliest known recording of the name Wurtz appears in the Liber Census Daniae, a census-like record from Denmark, dating back to 1280. The name was also found in various German town records from the 14th and 15th centuries, with spellings like Wurtz, Wurz, and Wurtze.

One of the earliest documented individuals with the surname Wurtz was Hans Wurtz, a merchant from Nuremberg, Germany, who lived in the late 15th century. Another notable bearer of the name was Johann Wurtz, a German theologian and mathematician born in 1592, who made significant contributions to the study of mathematics and astronomy.

In the 16th century, the name Wurtz was also associated with the town of Wurzburg in Bavaria, Germany. Some historians suggest that the surname may have originated as a place name, referring to those who hailed from this town or the surrounding areas.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname Wurtz was Felix Wurtz, a French chemist born in 1800. He is renowned for his research on organic chemistry and the discovery of several important chemical compounds, including ethylamine and neurine.

Another notable figure was Christian Wurtz, a German-born American artist, born in 1837. He is best known for his landscape paintings depicting scenes from the American West.

The surname Wurtz also appears in historical records from other European countries, such as France and the Netherlands, where it was likely introduced by German settlers or traders. For example, Adolphe Wurtz, a French chemist born in 1817, made significant contributions to the understanding of organic chemistry and molecular structure.

Throughout history, the surname Wurtz has been carried by individuals from various professions, including scientists, artists, merchants, and theologians. While its origins can be traced back to Germany and the meaning of the word "wurz," the name has spread across Europe and beyond, with individuals bearing this surname making their mark in various fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wurtz

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

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

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

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