History of your Surname
Get access to Wedel family records.Start a free trial

Wedel Family History

Wedel Name Meaning

German:: habitational name from any of various places called Wedel or Wedell all in northern Germany. in northwestern Germany a topographic name for someone who lived in a forest from Middle Low German wede ‘wood forest’ + lo ‘brush’ ‘wood’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Reder, Redel, Wendel, Eder, Weiden, Wege, Edel, Weidel, Medel, Wadel

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Wedel family from?

You can see how Wedel families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wedel family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wedel families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there was 1 Wedel family living in Illinois. This was about 50% of all the recorded Wedel's in USA. Illinois and 1 other state had the highest population of Wedel families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wedel surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Wedel ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Housewife were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Wedel. 32% of Wedel men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Wedel women worked as a Housewife. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wedel were Farm Laborer and Teacher. .

View Census Data for Wedel | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    32%
  • Laborer
    17%
  • Salesman
    5%
  • Farm Laborer
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Housewife
    15%
  • Housekeeper
    12%
  • Stenographer
    12%
  • Teacher
    10%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Wedel family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 13,000 census records available for the last name Wedel. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wedel census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Wedel

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Wedel. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Wedel immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 10,000 military records available for the last name Wedel. For the veterans among your Wedel ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Wedel military records

You've only scratched the surface of Wedel family history

Discover More

What is the average Wedel lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Wedel life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1998. The average life expectancy for Wedel in 1951 was 43, and 80 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wedel

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Wedel family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Wedel last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial