Explore the Family Name Wendt
The meaning of Wendt
German and Danish: ethnic name for a Wend, Middle High German wind(e). The Wends (i.e. Polabian Slavs, Pomeranians, and Sorbians) once occupied a large area of northeastern and eastern Germany (extending as far west as Lüneburg, with an area called Wendland; see Wendland), and many German placenames and surnames are of Wendish origin. Today, of all Wendish people only Sorbians still exist (in Lusatia in eastern Germany). See also Serbin 2. Some characteristic forenames: German Otto, Kurt, Erwin, Hans, Dieter, Heinz, Reinhold, Wolfgang, Armin, Erhard, Ernst.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Wendt in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Wendt saw a slight decrease in popularity between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Wendt ranked as the 2605th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had slipped to 2838th. The actual count of individuals with this surname remained relatively stable, with a minimal decrease of 0.25%, from 12,744 in 2000 to 12,712 in 2010. Consequently, the proportion of people named Wendt per 100,000 decreased by 8.69% over the decade.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #2,605 | #2,838 | -8.94% |
| Count | 12,744 | 12,712 | -0.25% |
| Proportion per 100k | 4.72 | 4.31 | -8.69% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Wendt
Regarding ethnic identity, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census shows a diverse distribution for the surname Wendt. The majority of individuals with this surname identified as White, with a slight decrease from 95.90% in 2000 to 95.13% in 2010. The representation of Hispanic individuals increased by 38.56% over the same time period, while Black representation also saw an increase of 38.46%. Those identifying as Two or more races experienced an 11.71% growth. The Asian/Pacific Islander category saw a decrease of 11.11%, and American Indian and Alaskan Native representation grew by 7.69%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.9% | 95.13% | -0.8% |
| Hispanic | 1.53% | 2.12% | 38.56% |
| Two or More Races | 1.11% | 1.24% | 11.71% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.81% | 0.72% | -11.11% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.39% | 0.42% | 7.69% |
| Black | 0.26% | 0.36% | 38.46% |
Wendt 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 Wendt is French & German, which comprises 37.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are British & Irish (32.4%) and Eastern European (11.0%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| French & German | 37.8% |
| British & Irish | 32.4% |
| Eastern European | 11.0% |
| Other | 18.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Wendt
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 Wendt have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 73.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 73.40% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 73.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 73.10% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 73.10% |
What Wendt 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 Wendt is R-L1029, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L1029 is descended from haplogroup R-M420. Other common haplogroups include R-CTS241 and R-M417, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Schultz, Schulz, Bohn, Urban, Krause, Krueger, Novak, Bach, Lange, Neumann.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Wendt surname are: H1, T2b, H. 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 Wendt 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.
"Wendt" Surname 46.7%
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.
"Wendt" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Wendt" Surname 21.2%
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.
"Wendt" Surname 16.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Wendt?
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 Wendt are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition