Explore the Family Name Wager
The meaning of Wager
1. English (of Norman origin): from an Anglo-Norman French variant of gaugeor ‘gauger (official who measured liquids)’, or of gag(e)ure ‘bet, wager’. Compare Gager, though the evidence for that suggests more strongly an occupational name. 2. German (also Wäger), Swiss German, and Jewish (Ashkenazic): from Middle High German wæger ‘weigher’, German Waager, an occupational name for an official in charge of the city scales, responsible for weighing produce, especially produce offered as rent in kind, or for an official in charge of checking weights and measures used by merchants.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wager in the United States?
Based on data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname 'Wager' saw a slight decrease between 2000 to 2010. In the year 2000, it was ranked as the 9064th most popular surname, while in 2010 it fell slightly to the 9488th position, marking a change of -4.68%. However, the actual count of individuals with this surname increased from 3316 in 2000 to 3428 in 2010 which represents an increase of 3.38%. The proportion of individuals with the surname Wager per 100k people also dropped by 5.69% over the same period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,064 | #9,488 | -4.68% |
| Count | 3,316 | 3,428 | 3.38% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.23 | 1.16 | -5.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wager
On the matter of ethnicity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census reveals several shifts within the Wager surname bearers between 2000 and 2010. While the majority maintained their White ethnic identity, experiencing only a slight decrease from 94.42% to 92.01%, there were significant increases in other groups. The number of those identifying as having two or more races saw a sharp rise of 172.00%, followed by Hispanic identity which increased by 51.64%. Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native identities also experienced growths of 24.07% and 12.96% respectively. On the other hand, the Black demographic saw a drop from 1.30% to 0.96% during the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 94.42% | 92.01% | -2.55% |
| Hispanic | 2.44% | 3.7% | 51.64% |
| Two or More Races | 0.75% | 2.04% | 172% |
| Black | 1.3% | 0.96% | -26.15% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.54% | 0.67% | 24.07% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.54% | 0.61% | 12.96% |
Wager ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Wager is British & Irish, which comprises 43.3% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (26.3%) and Italian (6.9%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Eastern European, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 43.3% |
| French & German | 26.3% |
| Italian | 6.9% |
| Other | 23.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Wager
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Wager have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
What Wager haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Wager is R-CTS3402, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS3402 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include I-DF29 and R-M405, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Ostrowski, Takacs, Woodall, Fender, Kurth, Klotz, Provost, Krupa, Pagel, Troutman.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wager surname are: H1, H, U5a1. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M420Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Wager have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Wager" Surname 55.6%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Wager" Surname 34.5%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wager" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Wager" Surname 20.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wager?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Wager are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition