2000
#7,022
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,400
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.63
Rare Last name
Wargo
A Polish and Ukrainian surname derived from the word for a fortified settlement or town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,647 Americans carry the last name Wargo. That puts it at #7,850 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.36 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 73,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wargo surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.6K
1 in 73,758
Census rank
#7,850
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.1K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,052 bearers of the surname Wargo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.36 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7850th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wargo, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wargo
The surname Wargo is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Polish word "warg," meaning "lip" or "rim." This moniker likely referred to a distinctive physical feature or characteristic of an early bearer of the name.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wargo name can be found in the historical records of the Polish town of Bydgoszcz, dating back to the late 15th century. The name appeared as "Wargow" in a document from 1487, suggesting that the spelling has evolved over time.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Wargo surname began to spread throughout various regions of Poland, particularly in the areas surrounding the cities of Krakow and Lodz. Several notable individuals bearing this name emerged during this period, including Jakub Wargo (1524-1597), a respected blacksmith and artisan known for his intricate metalwork.
In the 18th century, the Wargo name gained further recognition with the birth of Jan Wargo (1712-1783), a prominent Polish economist and writer who authored several influential treatises on trade and finance. His works were widely read throughout Europe and played a significant role in shaping economic policies during that era.
As the 19th century dawned, the Wargo surname continued to spread across Poland and into neighboring countries, such as Ukraine and Belarus. One notable figure from this time was Katarzyna Wargo (1822-1891), a renowned Polish painter celebrated for her vibrant landscapes and portraiture.
The 20th century brought forth several individuals with the Wargo surname who made significant contributions in various fields. Among them was Stanislaw Wargo (1904-1987), a renowned Polish physicist and academic who made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of quantum mechanics.
In more recent times, the Wargo name has gained international recognition through individuals like Anna Wargo (1962-present), a celebrated Polish author and journalist whose works have been translated into multiple languages.
While the Wargo surname has its roots firmly planted in Polish soil, it has since spread across the globe, carried by generations of individuals who have left an indelible mark on history through their diverse contributions and achievements.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wargo
Among Census respondents with the surname Wargo, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Wargo bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wargo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.9% · 3,804
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 113
- Two or more races2.2% · 89
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 24
- Black or African American0.4% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wargo
Wargo appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#7,497
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,442
+42 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 1.51
Rank movement Down 475 places
2020
#7,850
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,052
-390 bearers (-8.8%)
Per 100,000 1.36
Rank movement Down 353 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #7,022 | 4,400 | 1.63 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #7,497 | 4,442 | 1.51 | +42 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 475 places |
| 2020 | #7,850 | 4,052 | 1.36 | -390 bearers (-8.8%) | Down 353 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wargo surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,497 | #7,850 | -4.7% |
| Count | 4,442 | 4,052 | -8.8% |
| Per 100K | 1.51 | 1.36 | -10.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wargo bearers went from 4,442 to 4,052 (-8.8% change). The surname moved down 353 positions in the national ranking, going from #7,497 to #7,850.
FAQ
Wargo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wargo?
Name Census estimates that about 4,647 living Americans carry the surname Wargo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 73,758 residents.
How common is Wargo?
Wargo ranks #7,850 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.36 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,052 people with the surname Wargo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,647), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.36 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.36 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Wargo.
Has Wargo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wargo went from 4,442 recorded bearers to 4,052. That is a decrease of 390 (-8.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #7,497 to #7,850.
What does the Census say about the background of Wargo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wargo, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.8%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wargo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.9% (3,804 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wargo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.9%), Hispanic (2.8%), Two or More Races (2.2%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wargo (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wargo mean?
A Polish and Ukrainian surname derived from the word for a fortified settlement or town. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wargo (1.36 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Wargo?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.