Show ContentsWiese History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Wiese is a topographic local name; it is derived from a physical feature of the geography near where the original bearer lived or held land. In this case, the name is derived from the Old German word wisa, which means meadow. The original bearer lived on or near an open meadow.

Early Origins of the Wiese family

The surname Wiese was first found in Silesia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the great social and economic evolution which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development of the nation.

Early History of the Wiese family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wiese research. Another 250 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1275, 1333, 1350, 1450, 1456, 1500, 1690, 1702 and 1821 are included under the topic Early Wiese History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wiese Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Wiese, Wies, Wieser, Wiesen, Wiesa (Silesia), Wiesener, Wiesner, Wisener and many more.

Early Notables of the Wiese family

Another 44 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wiese Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Wiese Ranking

In the United States, the name Wiese is the 3,939th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


Wiese migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Wiese Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Wiese, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1752 2
  • Friedrich Wiese, who landed in America in 1780 2
Wiese Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Joh Bernh Wiese, who landed in America in 1829-1830 2
  • A Wiese, who landed in North America in 1832-1849 2
  • Dorothea Christine Wiese, aged 31, who landed in America in 1843 2
  • Charles Gottleb Wiese, aged 30, who landed in St Louis, Missouri in 1844 2
  • Ernst Wiese, aged 35, who arrived in St Louis, Missouri in 1845 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Wiese migration to Australia +

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

Wiese Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Wilhelm Wiese, aged 47, who arrived in South Australia in 1847 aboard the ship "Hermann von Beckerath" 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Wiese (post 1700) +

  • Robert "Bob" Lee Wiese (1923-1971), American college football player
  • Matthew R. "Matt" Wiese (b. 1971), American actor and former professional wrestler
  • Gustav Wiese, American politician, U.S. Vice Consul in Breslau, 1914 4
  • Friedrich Wiese (1892-1972), German general, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Kurt Wiese (1887-1974), German-born book illustrator who illustrated over 300 children's books
  • Tim Wiese (b. 1981), German football goalkeeper
  • Johannes Wiese, German fighter pilot and flying ace in the Luftwaffe, during World War II, credited with 133 aerial victories, awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross
  • Kees Wiese (1936-2020), Dutch journalist, writer and poet from Utrecht, Netherlands
  • Jakobus Johannes "Kobus" Wiese (b. 1964), former South African rugby union player

SS Atlantic
  • Herman Wiese, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Child Wiese, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Johanna Wiese, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


Suggested Readings for the name Wiese +

  • In Search of Familie Wiese by Irma Wiese Whipple.

  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) HERMANN VON BECKERATH 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847HermanVonBeckerath.htm
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook