The Wiseman surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,439 people carried this name — #1,845 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,200 people counted. That is up 3% from 18,813 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Wiseman surname

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a nickname: ‘the wise man’.

An early record he cites: Roger Wyseman, Oxfordshire, 1273 — Hundred Rolls.

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

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 5 births for the Wiseman name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 200 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 4
Leinster 1

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In the Nordic population registers

37 people named Wiseman is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 37

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Wiseman was found among the farmers of 2 counties.

It was most frequent in Essex: 27 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 370. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Essex 27
Norfolk 11

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In Scotland’s registers today

Wiseman was recorded 28 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 872nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 49. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

23 families named Wiseman, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 135 people lived in those households, 5.9 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

North Carolina 9
Pennsylvania 5
Virginia 4
Maryland 2
Massachusetts 1
Rhode Island 1
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 269 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Wiseman in American newspapers,
1919–1927.

Newspaper page from Great Falls Daily Tribune carrying the name Wiseman
Great Falls Daily Tribune 1919-03-19
Newspaper page from Le Messager carrying the name Wiseman
Le Messager 1927-02-02
Newspaper page from Le Messager carrying the name Wiseman
Le Messager 1927-02-28

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 71,170 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Wiseman in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2000s.

46,721 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Wiseman. The most, 6,610, date from the 1910s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Tasmania, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 18,034
Victoria 9,865
Tasmania 6,498
South Australia 5,153
Queensland 4,592
Western Australia 2,374
ACT (Canberra) 79
Northern Territory 18

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

Who carried it

People named Wiseman,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Jack Wiseman d. 2009 · businessperson
  • William Wiseman d. 1610 · politician
  • John Wiseman d. 1558 · politician
  • Edmund Wiseman d. 1605 · politician
  • John H. Sparks d. 1903 · circus director
  • Jane Wiseman d. 1610

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

In the public record

People named Wiseman,
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 States1,637 records

1,637 records of the Wiseman name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 638
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 267
  • Other U.S. records 732
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Loran K. Wiseman

    Born 1917 in Indiana. Enlisted 1945 at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri; doorman. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record John Samuel Wiseman

    Born 1945; from St Louis, Missouri. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1968 in Thua Thien, South Vietnam. Buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Missouri.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Jane Wiseman

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the City of Berlin from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 26; servant. From Cork, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,637 records for Wiseman 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, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,165 records

1,165 records of the Wiseman name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 629
  • Tasmanian Names Index 207
  • Other Australian records 329
  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 Harriet Wiseman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Cadet, sailing from Plymouth in 1848. Native of Norwich, Norfolk. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 William Wiseman

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Georgiana, sailing from Portsmouth in 1832. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1843.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ann Wiseman

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Sir Henry Hardinge, aged 50; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,165 records for Wiseman in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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).

Canada190 records

190 records of the Wiseman name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 135
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 12
  • Other Canadian records 43
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record D'L Wiseman

    Came to Ontario in 1875 aboard the Scan, landing at Quebec, bound for Rosseau, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Eliza A. Wiseman

    Buried in 1937 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 78.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Lester Wiseman

    Died 1958 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 190 records for Wiseman in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom68 records

68 records of the Wiseman name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 34
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 27
  • Other British records 7
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William Wiseman

    Born 1888 at Cummingston; barman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John Mortimer Wiseman

    Born 1897 at Forres; engineer. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thos Wiseman

    Buried in 1814 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 43.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 68 records for Wiseman in the United Kingdom.

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

Netherlands34 records

34 records of the Wiseman name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 19
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 12
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 3
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Cornelia Wiseman

    Married in 1921 in Amsterdam; teacher. Died 1944 in Amsterdam, aged 60.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Dina Margaretha Wiseman

    Married in 1933 in Amsterdam. Died 1961 in Doorn, aged 86.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0); Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Wiseman

    Married in 1702 in Rotterdam; born in Hull.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 34 records for Wiseman 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).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Wiseman name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Gavin Wiseman

    Died 1933, aged 73; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Ann Wiseman

    Buried in 1890 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 70.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 6 records for Wiseman in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Thames-Coromandel 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 Wiseman.

When the index is not enough

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