The Wisdom surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 6,734 people carried this name — #5,194 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 43,900 people counted. That is up 5% from 6,425 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wisdom surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Wisdom’.

An early record he cites: Richard Wysdem, Somerset, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 820 · public domain.

In print

Wisdom in American newspapers,
1903–1920.

Newspaper page from The Jewish Monitor carrying the name Wisdom
The Jewish Monitor 1920-07-30
Newspaper page from The Canton Times carrying the name Wisdom
The Canton Times 1903-07-17
Newspaper page from Times-promoter carrying the name Wisdom
Times-promoter 1903-07-10

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Wisdom in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

21,423 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wisdom. The most, 6,729, date from the 1880s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 2.2 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 13,995
South Australia 2,102
Victoria 1,852
Western Australia 1,648
Queensland 1,266
Tasmania 480
ACT (Canberra) 34
Northern Territory 15

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wisdom.

Who carried it

People named Wisdom,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Margaret Wisdom 1555–
  • John Wisdom 1657–
  • John Wisdom 1696–1755
  • John Wisdom 1717–1793
  • Juliana Wisdom 1735–1805
  • John Wisdom 1754–1781

Wikidata (CC0) · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Wisdom,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States381 records

381 records of the Wisdom name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 191
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 81
  • Other U.S. records 109
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Albert L. Wisdom

    Born 1913 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1942 at Camp Forrest; bellman from Sullivan County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1994, buried at Mountain Home National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary J. Wisdom

    Arrived at New York in 1859 aboard the Cultivator from Liverpool, aged 18; seamstress. From Dublin, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Kerry Dean Wisdom

    Born 1947; from Princeton, Kentucky. U.S. Navy, aviation structural mechanic; died in an accident 1967 in North Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 381 records for Wisdom in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Netherlands327 records

327 records of the Wisdom name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 225
  • Dutch population registers 97
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 5
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Sophia Agatha Adriana Wisdom

    Married in 1854 in 's-Gravenhage; seamstress. Died 1905 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 88.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Pieter Johannes Jacobus Wisdom

    Married in 1869 in Groningen; "opzigter", born 1838 in 's Gravenhage. Died 1895 in Groningen, aged 56.

    Open Archives, Groninger Archieven (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Susanna Frederica Wisdom

    Born 1887 in Aengwirden. Died 1917 in Oegstgeest, aged 29.

    Open Archives, AlleFriezen (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 327 records for Wisdom in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Australia121 records

121 records of the Wisdom name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 98
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 9
  • Other Australian records 14
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Richard Wisdom

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Recovery, arriving 1836; ticket of leave 1843.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Spencer Wisdom

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Lusitania, aged 34; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Charles Shaw Wisdom

    Auctioneer of Bentleigh, Victoria; died 1968.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 121 records for Wisdom in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

Canada72 records

72 records of the Wisdom name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 59
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 5
  • Other Canadian records 8
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Belle Wisdom

    Died 1928 in New Glasgow, Pictou, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Beverly Joan Wisdom

    Died 1936; buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, British Columbia.

    City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record George Wisdom

    Died in service in 1919.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 72 records for Wisdom in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom6 records

6 records of the Wisdom name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 5
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Wisdom

    Buried in 1813 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 35.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record T. J. H. Wisdom

    Royal Army Medical Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record C. Wisdom

    Sapper, Royal Engineers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Wisdom in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand4 records

4 records of the Wisdom name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 2
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Eric James Herbert Wisdom

    Died 2000, aged 68; buried at Seddon Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Wisdom

    Died 1923, aged 76; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Wisdom in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Wisdom.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Wisdom is.
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