2000
#58,553
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 324
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.12
Very Rare Last name
Wildberger
A German surname denoting someone who lived in or near a wilderness or forest.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 369 Americans carry the last name Wildberger. That puts it at #66,338 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 928,874 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wildberger 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.
Bearers in the US
369
1 in 928,874
Census rank
#66,338
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
322
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 322 bearers of the surname Wildberger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 66338th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wildberger
The surname Wildberger originates from the German-speaking regions of Europe. It is believed to have first emerged during the Middle Ages, particularly in the regions that now constitute modern-day Germany and Switzerland. The name would have been used to describe someone from a place called Wildberg or someone who lived near or in the wild mountains or hills, as suggested by the components "wild," meaning untamed or wild, and "berg," meaning mountain.
The roots of Wildberger can be traced back to several medieval Germanic dialects. The name likely derived from a combination of "wild," a word of Germanic origin meaning untamed or natural, and "berg," an Old High German word meaning mountain or hill. This implies that the initial bearers of the name either resided near conspicuous natural landmarks or came from towns or regions bearing the name Wildberg. Similar spellings include Wildberg, Wildbergh, and Wildburg, which were often used interchangeably in historical documents.
Historical records indicate the presence of the surname in the 13th century, with references found in various legal documents, property records, and clerical listings. One of the earliest mentions of the name Wildberger can be found in the annals of a Bavarian monastery, where an Ulrich Wildberger was listed as a witness to a land grant in 1273. This early appearance underscores the surname's longstanding presence and its notable connection to regional estates and local governance at the time.
Several notable individuals bearing the surname Wildberger have been identified throughout history. One prominent figure was Hans Wildberger (1897-1958), a Swiss theologian known for his scholarly contributions to the study of Hebrew Scriptures. Another early person of record is Johannes Wildberger, documented in 1446 as a city council member and merchant in Freiburg, a vibrant center of commerce in the German region during the Renaissance period.
In the 17th century, Matthias Wildberger emerged as a significant historical figure. Born in 1625 and dying in 1690, he was a respected military officer who served in various European conflicts, including the Thirty Years' War. His expertise in strategic mountain warfare earned him recognition and distinction among his peers, illustrating the martial prowess often associated with mountainous regions.
Additionally, there was Martin Wildberger, a celebrated artisan and carpenter, born in 1682 and active during the early 18th century in Zurich, Switzerland. His works were noted for their intricate craftsmanship and are still preserved in Swiss museums today, serving as a testament to the diverse talents and occupations held by individuals with this surname.
In the field of mathematics, Walter Wildberger (1902-1980) made notable contributions during the first half of the 20th century. He focused on geometric theories and mathematical education, his work impacting various scientific communities. His scholarly pursuits extended the reach and recognition of the Wildberger name beyond continental Europe to academic circles worldwide.
Overall, the surname Wildberger carries a rich history intertwined with various aspects of European heritage, from medieval land records to contributions in theology, military service, craftsmanship, and academic scholarship. This surname not only signifies a geographic connection to natural landscapes but also marks the historical significance of those who carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wildberger
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wildberger 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 Wildberger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.1% · 274
- Hispanic or Latino10.9% · 35
- Two or more races2.8% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wildberger
Wildberger 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
#62,189
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 322
-2 bearers (-0.6%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 3,636 places
2020
#66,338
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 322
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.11
Rank movement Down 4,149 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #58,553 | 324 | 0.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #62,189 | 322 | 0.11 | -2 bearers (-0.6%) | Down 3,636 places |
| 2020 | #66,338 | 322 | 0.11 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 4,149 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 Wildberger 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 | #62,189 | #66,338 | -6.7% |
| Count | 322 | 322 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.11 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wildberger bearers went from 322 to 322 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 4,149 positions in the national ranking, going from #62,189 to #66,338.
FAQ
Wildberger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wildberger?
Name Census estimates that about 369 living Americans carry the surname Wildberger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 928,874 residents.
How common is Wildberger?
Wildberger ranks #66,338 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.11 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 322 people with the surname Wildberger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (369), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.11 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.11 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wildberger.
Has Wildberger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wildberger went from 322 recorded bearers to 322. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #62,189 to #66,338.
What does the Census say about the background of Wildberger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildberger, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.9%) and Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Wildberger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.1% (274 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wildberger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.1%), Hispanic (10.9%), Two or More Races (2.8%). 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 Wildberger (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 Wildberger mean?
A German surname denoting someone who lived in or near a wilderness or forest. 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 Wildberger (0.11 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 last name Wildberger?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Wildberger is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.