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Wagner History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Wagner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Israel

Early Origins of the Wagner family

The surname Wagner was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 14th century.

Early History of the Wagner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wagner research. Another 137 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487 and 1610 are included under the topic Early Wagner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wagner Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Wagner has been recorded under many different variations, including Wagner, Waggoner, Wagoner, Waggener, Wagener, Wiggoner, Wigoner and many more.

Early Notables of the Wagner family

Distinguished members of the family include

Wagner family of Yorkshire

Wagner World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wagner is the 171^st most popular surname with an estimated 136,785 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Wagner is ranked the 394^th most popular surname with an estimated 11,749 people with that name. 2 And in France, the name Wagner is the 334^th popular surname with an estimated 11,992 people with that name. 3 Australia ranks Wagner as 946^th with 4,186 people. 4

Wagner migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Wagner or a variant listed above:

Wagner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Andreas Wagner, who immigrated to America with his wife and two children in 1709
Carl Wagner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 5
Augustus Wagner, aged 19, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 5
Abraham Wagner, who settled in Philadelphia in 1737
Antonus Wagner, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1743 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wagner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Wagner, who settled in Mississippi at the age of 18 in 1820
Augustus Wagner, who settled in Baltimore in 1823
Conrad Wagner, who landed in Maryland in 1826 5
Adam Wagner, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 5
Anton Wagner, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1844 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wagner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emil Wagner, aged 17, who landed in New York, NY in 1903 5

Wagner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wagner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Cathrina Wagner, aged 50, who arrived in Quebec in 1893
Charlotte Wagner, aged 17, who arrived in Quebec in 1893

Wagner migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Wagner Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Therese Wagner, aged 32, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 6
Miss Anna Wagner, (b. 1855), aged 33, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Bulimba" arriving in Queensland, Australia on 21st February 1888 7

Wagner migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Wagner Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Robert Wagner, (b. 1815), aged 41, British tailor travelling from London aboard the ship "Isabella Hercus" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th January 1856 8
Mr. Martin Wagner, (b. 1830), aged 28, British farm labourer travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 8
Mrs. Mary Wagner, (b. 1834), aged 24, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 29th March 1859 8
James Wagner, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rob Roy" in 1865
Mr. Fredrich Wagner, (b. 1837), aged 35, German farm labourer travelling from Hamburg aboard the ship "Palmerston" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 12th December 1872 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Wagner (post 1700) +

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (1813-1883), very influential German composer, conductor, music theorist, best remembered for monumental four-opera cycle "Der Ring des Nibelungen" (The Ring Cycle) in 1876
Robert C. Wagner (1947-2023), American college football coach. He was head football coach at the University of Hawaii at Manoa from 1988 to 1995
Robin Samuel Anton Wagner (1933-2023), American scenic designer, six-time winner of the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design, three-time Tony award for Best Scenic Design winner
Eric Wagner (1959-2021), American heavy metal singer who is best known for his work with doom metal band Trouble
Michael J. Wagner (1941-2014), American businessman and politician, Member of the Maryland House of Delegates (1974-1977) and Senate (1978-1994)
Peter J. Wagner (b. 1964), American paleontologist and curator at the Smithsonian Institution
Gary Edward Wagner (b. 1940), American former Major League Baseball pitcher
Milton "Milt" Wagner (b. 1963), retired American NBA basketball player
Ryan Scott Wagner (b. 1982), American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher
Paul Allen Wagner (b. 1967), American former Major League Baseball player
... (Another 33 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Wagner family +

Bismarck

Ludwig Wagner (1916-1941), German Matrosenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 10
Leopold Wagner (1918-1941), German Maschinengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 10
Johann Wagner (1922-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 10
Helmut Wagner (1919-1941), German Maschinenobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 10
Gerhard Wagner (1921-1941), German Matrosengefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 10
... (Another 1 entries are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Pan Am Flight 103 (Lockerbie)

Raymond Ronald Wagner (1936-1988), American First Officer from Pennington, New Jersey, America, who flew aboard the Pan Am Flight 103 from Frankfurt to Detroit, known as the Lockerbie bombing in 1988 and died 11

Triangle Waist Company

Miss Minnie Wagner, American worker who was at Triangle Waist Company factory at the Asch building in Greenwich Village on the 25th March 1911 when fire broke out; she survived the fire 12

USS Arizona

Mr. Robert E. Wagner, American Seaman First Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 13
Mr. Rudolph L. Wagner, American Chief Boatswain's Mate working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 13
Mr. Mearl James Wagner, American Ship's Cook Second Class from California, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 13

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_queensland.pdf
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Pan Am Flight 103's victims: A list of those killed 25 years ago | syracuse.com. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/pan_am_flight_103s_victims_a_list_of_those_killed_25_years_ago.html
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire (retrieved on 3rd August 2021.) Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html