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Wagner Family History

Wagner Surname Meaning

German and Jewish (Ashkenazic) (also Wägner): occupational name for a carter and (in some dialects) a cartwright from an agent derivative of Middle High German wagen ‘cart wagon’ German Wagen. This surname is also established in many other parts of Europe notably in France (Alsace and Lorraine) Britain Poland and Denmark. In Hungary it is mostly spelled Wágner and Vágner. In Russia Czechia Croatia Slovenia and Slovakia it is also found in the Slavicized form Vagner . Compare Wagener Waggener and Wagoner . Dutch and perhaps also English: occupational name from Middle Dutch waghenaer ‘carter’ (compare 1 above). The Dutch word is not known to have been borrowed into English before 1600 but the surname Wagner is recorded in Norfolk (England) from 1379 perhaps a substitution of the Dutch word for Middle English wainer. Compare Waggoner .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Wainer, Wager, Wapner, Wagoner, Wigner, Hafner, Wanner, Banner

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Wagner family from?

You can see how Wagner families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wagner family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wagner families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 236 Wagner families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 52% of all the recorded Wagner's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Wagner families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wagner surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
  • 1840
  • 1880
  • 1920
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What did your Wagner ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wagner. 12% of Wagner men worked as a Farmer and 6% of Wagner women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wagner were Truck Driver and Clerk. .

View Census Data for Wagner | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    12%
  • Laborer
    12%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    6%
  • Stenographer
    6%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
  • Clerk
    5%
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What Wagner family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 679,000 census records available for the last name Wagner. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wagner census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wagner

Passenger Lists

There are 113,000 immigration records available for the last name Wagner. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

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Draft Cards

There are 233,000 military records available for the last name Wagner. For the veterans among your Wagner ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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You've only scratched the surface of Wagner family history

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What is the average Wagner lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Wagner life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 1940. The average life expectancy for Wagner in 1940 was 100, and 76 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wagner

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