Wagner History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Germany 
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The German territory of Silesia is the noble birthplace of the surname Wagner. The name is derived from the Middle High German term "wagener," meaning "one who drives or makes wagons," and would likely have been initially borne by a wheelwright or carriage maker. 1

Early Origins of the Wagner family

The surname Wagner was first found in Liegnitz, where Nitsche wayner (wagener) was recorded in 1372. 1

In medieval times the feudal lord often owned several manors and it was necessary to transport produce from one place to another by two-wheeled, horse-drawn carts. The "wagener" would have been a member of the lord's household responsible for this carriage of goods. References to this name in written records occur as early as the thirteenth century when the "Wurttembergisches Urkundenbuch" makes mention of one Bertoldus dictus Wagenare residing in Eriskirch at that time. Later, the "Mittelhochdeutsches Namenbuch" notes two brothers, Henricus and Berchtoldus, who were styled Wagenere, natives of Freiburg.

The famed composer and conductor Richard Wagner (1813-1883), best known for his four-opera cycle Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) hailed from Leipzig, Upper Saxon.

Early History of the Wagner family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wagner research. Another 260 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1656, 1660, 1717, 1742, 1745, 1747, 1762, 1779, 1812, 1813, 1845, 1869, 1883 and 1930 are included under the topic Early Wagner History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wagner Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wagner, Wegner, Wagoner, Wagener, Waganer, Waggener and many more.

Early Notables of the Wagner family

Notables of the period with the surname Wagner were

Wagner World Ranking

In the United States, the name Wagner is the 171st most popular surname with an estimated 136,785 people with that name. 2 However, in Canada, the name Wagner is ranked the 394th most popular surname with an estimated 11,749 people with that name. 3 And in France, the name Wagner is the 334th popular surname with an estimated 11,992 people with that name. 4 Australia ranks Wagner as 946th with 4,186 people. 5


Wagner migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wagner Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Wagner Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Wagner Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Wagner migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wagner Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

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

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

Contemporary Notables of the name Wagner (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Wagner +
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