2000
#13,104
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,140
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.79
Rare Last name
Weisz
A German and Jewish surname meaning "white," referring to someone with very pale hair or complexion.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,276 Americans carry the last name Weisz. That puts it at #10,684 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 104,626 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Weisz surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Weisz with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 104,626
Census rank
#10,684
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,857 bearers of the surname Weisz in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10684th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Weisz, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Weisz
The surname Weisz originated in the German-speaking regions of central Europe, likely in the late Middle Ages or early Renaissance period. It is derived from the German word "weiss," meaning "white," which may have been used to describe a person with light hair or a fair complexion. Alternatively, it could have referred to a person who worked with white materials or lived near a place with a name containing the word "weiss."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Weisz can be found in the German town of Weissenburg, which was mentioned in historical documents dating back to the 7th century. The town's name, which translates to "white castle," may have influenced the development of the surname Weisz in the surrounding areas.
In the 14th century, a German scholar named Johannes Weisz (c. 1300-1370) was known for his works on astronomy and astrology. His writings were influential in the intellectual circles of his time and helped to establish the Weisz name among the educated classes.
During the 16th century, a notable figure named Hans Weisz (c. 1520-1590) was a respected painter and woodcarver in the city of Nuremberg. His intricate religious artwork adorned many churches and cathedrals throughout southern Germany, and his legacy helped to spread the Weisz name further afield.
In the 18th century, a Hungarian nobleman named Mihály Weisz (1718-1785) played a significant role in the development of the country's wine industry. His innovative techniques and dedication to viticulture earned him widespread recognition, and his family's contributions to Hungarian winemaking continued for generations.
Another noteworthy individual was the Austrian composer and pianist Anton Weisz (1823-1890), whose works were highly regarded in the 19th century. His compositions, which included operas, symphonies, and chamber music, helped to cement the Weisz name in the annals of classical music.
As the centuries passed, the Weisz surname spread across Europe and beyond, with various spelling variations emerging, such as Weiss, Weiz, and Weis. Today, it remains a prominent surname in many countries, particularly in Germany, Austria, Hungary, and other parts of central and eastern Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Weisz
Among Census respondents with the surname Weisz, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Weisz bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Weisz surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 2,706
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 75
- Two or more races1.7% · 48
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 16
- Black or African American0.2% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Weisz
Weisz appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#12,192
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,555
+415 bearers (+19.4%)
Per 100,000 0.87
Rank movement Up 912 places
2020
#10,684
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,857
+302 bearers (+11.8%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Up 1,508 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,104 | 2,140 | 0.79 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,192 | 2,555 | 0.87 | +415 bearers (+19.4%) | Up 912 places |
| 2020 | #10,684 | 2,857 | 0.96 | +302 bearers (+11.8%) | Up 1,508 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Weisz surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #12,192 | #10,684 | 12.4% |
| Count | 2,555 | 2,857 | 11.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.87 | 0.96 | 9.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Weisz bearers went from 2,555 to 2,857 (+11.8% change). The surname moved up 1,508 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,192 to #10,684.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Weisz
FAQ
Weisz surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Weisz?
Name Census estimates that about 3,276 living Americans carry the surname Weisz. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 104,626 residents.
How common is Weisz?
Weisz ranks #10,684 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,857 people with the surname Weisz. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,276), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Weisz.
Has Weisz become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Weisz went from 2,555 recorded bearers to 2,857. That is an increase of 302 (+11.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #12,192 to #10,684.
What does the Census say about the background of Weisz?
Among Census respondents with the surname Weisz, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Weisz in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (2,706 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Weisz appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (1.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Weisz (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Weisz mean?
A German and Jewish surname meaning "white," referring to someone with very pale hair or complexion. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Weisz (0.96 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Weisz?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.