A German and English surname of Wagner came from Middle German with the terms ‘wagener’ and ‘waganari’ which refers to a driver of wagons.

Spelling forms of Wagner include Wagoner, Wainwright, Cartwright, Wegner, Waggener, Wagooner, Wagener and Waganer.

Scottish families with the Wagner surname are in Lanarkshire and Midlothian counties. In England mostly the London area and surround counties have the Wagner surname. Several Wagner families are also in Yorkshire and Lancashire counties. In Germany the Wagner surname is widespread as well as surrounding countries like Austria.

Among the U. S. Pennsylvania Dutch Germans the Wagner and variations of the surname are very common. The states of New York, Ohio, Illinois and New Jersey also have higher numbers with the Wagner surname.

Famous: Richard Wagner (19th century music composer), Otto Wagner (Austrian architect), Robert J. Wagner (film and TV actor), Lindsay Wagner (actress), George D. Wagner (Civil War Union general), Josef Franz Wagner (19th century Austrian march king composer), Ashley Wagner (champion figure skater) and Heinrich Leopold Wagner (18th century writer).