Find out how popular the last name Wake is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wake.

Wake, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wake surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wake in America

Wake is the 11488th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wake surname appeared 2,739 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wake.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wake to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wake

The surname Wake is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "wacu," meaning a watch or vigil, or from the Old English personal name "Waca," derived from the same root.

The name Wake was initially associated with areas in the counties of Dorset, Somerset, and Wiltshire in southwestern England. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wache" and "Wake."

One of the earliest prominent individuals with this surname was Hugh Wake, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror during the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. He was granted lands in Dorset and Somerset, and his descendants took on the surname Wake.

In the 13th century, Baldwin Wake, who lived from around 1238 to 1282, was a notable English nobleman and Lord of Liddell. He was a prominent figure during the Barons' War against King Henry III and played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the Provisions of Oxford in 1258.

Another notable figure was Thomas Wake, who lived from around 1297 to 1349. He was a English nobleman and military commander who fought in the Scottish Wars of Independence and the Hundred Years' War against France. He was also a member of the Council of Regency during the minority of King Edward III.

Sir Isaac Wake, who lived from around 1575 to 1632, was an English diplomat and politician. He served as Ambassador to Venice and Savoy and was also a Member of Parliament for several constituencies.

Lastly, William Wake, born in 1657 and died in 1737, was an English prelate who served as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1716 until his death. He was a prominent figure in the Church of England and played a significant role in the religious and political affairs of his time.

The surname Wake has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Wake's Colne in Essex, Wakefield in Yorkshire, and Wakering in Essex. The name has also undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including Wache, Wak, Wak, and Wayke.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wake

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wake.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wake was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wake has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wake was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wake, please contact us.

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