2000
#127,948
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 123
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wattman
A surname originating from an occupation involving watt or cloth.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Wattman. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wattman 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Wattman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wattman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wattman
The surname Wattman has its origins in England, tracing back to the early 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "wath," meaning a ford or shallow part of a river, combined with the word "man," referring to a person. Thus, Wattman likely referred to someone who lived near a ford or worked as a ferryman, transporting people and goods across a river.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Wattman can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a census-like record of landholders in England. This document mentions a Robert Wattman residing in the county of Berkshire. Other early records include the Pipe Rolls of 1275, which list a Walter Wattman in Oxfordshire.
In the 14th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Wathman and Wateman, reflecting the regional variations in spelling and pronunciation. One notable example is John Wattman, a merchant from London who is mentioned in the city's records from the year 1348.
During the 15th century, the Wattman surname spread to other parts of England, particularly the northern counties. The Lay Subsidy Rolls of 1446 mention a William Wattman in Yorkshire, while the Hearth Tax Returns of 1673 record a Thomas Wattman in Westmorland.
One of the earliest known individuals with the surname Wattman was Sir John Wattman (c. 1435-1508), a prominent English landowner and member of the gentry in Oxfordshire. He served as a Justice of the Peace and was involved in local government affairs.
Another notable figure was Robert Wattman (1584-1652), a Puritan clergyman who served as the rector of St. Michael's Church in Coventry during the English Civil War. He was known for his support of the Parliamentarian cause.
In the 18th century, the Wattman surname appeared in various parish records across England, including the baptism of John Wattman in 1724 at St. Mary's Church in Lambeth, London.
One of the more famous individuals with the Wattman surname was Sir William Wattman (1770-1842), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was knighted for his service.
Another noteworthy figure was Robert Wattman (1826-1898), an English architect who designed several churches and public buildings in the Gothic Revival style, including St. Peter's Church in Nottingham.
While the Wattman surname may have originated from a specific occupation or location, it has since become a widespread surname across various regions of England and beyond, with many individuals bearing this name contributing to various fields throughout history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wattman
Among Census respondents with the surname Wattman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wattman 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 Wattman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 114
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wattman
Wattman 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
#137,327
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-1 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,379 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-4 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,184 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #127,948 | 123 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #137,327 | 122 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 9,379 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -4 bearers (-3.3%) | Down 6,184 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 Wattman 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 | #137,327 | #143,511 | -4.5% |
| Count | 122 | 118 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wattman bearers went from 122 to 118 (-3.3% change). The surname moved down 6,184 positions in the national ranking, going from #137,327 to #143,511.
FAQ
Wattman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wattman?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Wattman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Wattman?
Wattman ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Wattman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Wattman.
Has Wattman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wattman went from 122 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #137,327 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Wattman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wattman, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.7%) and Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Wattman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wattman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Two or More Races (1.7%), Hispanic (0.8%). 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 Wattman (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 Wattman mean?
A surname originating from an occupation involving watt or cloth. 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 Wattman (0.04 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 Wattman?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.