2000
#132,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wartelle
A locational surname indicating the bearer's origins were from a place called Wartelle.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Wartelle. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wartelle 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Wartelle in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wartelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wartelle
The surname Wartelle originated in the northern region of France, likely in the 12th or 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old French word "wartier," which means "to guard" or "to watch over." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who worked as a guard or a watchman.
One of the earliest documented instances of the Wartelle name can be found in the records of the town of Lille, located in the historical county of Flanders, in the year 1287. The record mentions a certain Jean Wartelle, who was a local landowner.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in various forms, such as Wartel, Wartelle, and Wartelles, in the records of the nearby towns of Douai and Arras. This indicates that the name was relatively widespread in the region during that time period.
The Wartelle surname is also linked to several place names in northern France, such as the village of Wartelle near Arras, and the hamlet of Wartelle-Cappelle in the commune of Herlies. These place names likely originated from the surname itself, suggesting that the family had a significant presence in those areas.
One notable bearer of the Wartelle name was Jean-Baptiste Wartelle, a French painter born in 1765 in Valenciennes. He was known for his portraits and historical paintings, and his works can be found in various museums across France.
Another person of note was François-Joseph Wartelle, a Belgian architect born in 1792 in Lille. He was responsible for designing several important buildings in Brussels, including the Church of Our Lady of the Sablon and the Royal Athenaeum.
In the early 19th century, a family of Wartelles from the town of Douai played a significant role in the local textile industry. The patriarch, Pierre Wartelle, established a successful wool-weaving business that remained in operation until the late 20th century.
During the French Revolution, a number of Wartelles were involved in the political and military affairs of the time. One such individual was Jacques-Joseph Wartelle, born in 1765 in Arras, who served as a captain in the Revolutionary Army and later became a member of the local municipal council.
Throughout the centuries, the Wartelle name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including merchants, artisans, soldiers, and professionals. While not a particularly common surname, it has left its mark on the history and culture of northern France and neighboring regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wartelle
Among Census respondents with the surname Wartelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wartelle 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 Wartelle surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.0% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 5
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wartelle
Wartelle 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-12 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,510 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-5 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 1,501 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #132,259 | 118 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 21,510 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -5 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 1,501 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 Wartelle 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 | #153,769 | #155,270 | -1.0% |
| Count | 106 | 101 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wartelle bearers went from 106 to 101 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 1,501 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #155,270.
FAQ
Wartelle surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wartelle?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Wartelle. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Wartelle?
Wartelle ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Wartelle. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wartelle.
Has Wartelle become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wartelle went from 106 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 5 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #153,769 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Wartelle?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wartelle, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%). 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 Wartelle in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.0% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wartelle appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.0%), Hispanic (5.0%). 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 Wartelle (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 Wartelle mean?
A locational surname indicating the bearer's origins were from a place called Wartelle. 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 Wartelle (0.03 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 Americans have the surname Wartelle?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.