2000
#61,376
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 306
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.11
Very Rare Last name
Wawro
Of Polish origin, possibly denoting someone from the town of Wawro.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 318 Americans carry the last name Wawro. That puts it at #75,111 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,077,844 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wawro 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
318
1 in 1,077,844
Census rank
#75,111
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
277
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 277 bearers of the surname Wawro in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 75111th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wawro, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wawro
The surname WAWRO is of Polish origin, with its roots tracing back to the late Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Wielkopolska, situated in what is now west-central Poland. The name itself is thought to derive from the Polish word "wawrzyn," meaning "laurel," which was a symbol of victory and honor in ancient times.
One of the earliest known references to the WAWRO name can be found in the Księga Henrykowska, a medieval manuscript dating back to the 13th century. This historical document mentions a certain "Wawrzyniec Wawro," who was a landowner in the village of Henryków, located in the present-day Lower Silesian Voivodeship of Poland.
In the 15th century, records indicate the presence of a family known as WAWRO in the city of Poznań, which was a major center of trade and culture during the Polish Renaissance. It is likely that this family played a significant role in the economic and social life of the city at that time.
One notable figure with the WAWRO surname was Jan Wawro (1587-1648), a Polish nobleman and military commander who fought in the Polish-Swedish Wars of the 17th century. He was known for his bravery and strategic skill on the battlefield, earning him the respect of his contemporaries.
Another prominent individual was Franciszek Wawro (1764-1836), a Polish painter and professor at the University of Vilnius. He was renowned for his portrait paintings and his contributions to the development of the arts in the region.
In the 19th century, Józef Wawro (1828-1901) was a Polish writer and journalist who played an active role in the Polish independence movement. His works were widely read and influential in shaping public opinion during the turbulent period of Polish history.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the WAWRO surname also found its way to the United States, as many Polish immigrants sought new opportunities and a better life in the rapidly industrializing nation. One such individual was Stanisław Wawro (1868-1943), who settled in Chicago and became a successful businessman and community leader.
Throughout its history, the WAWRO surname has been associated with individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, including the military, arts, literature, and entrepreneurship. While its origins can be traced back to medieval Poland, the name has since spread to other parts of the world, carrying with it a rich legacy and a connection to the Polish cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wawro
Among Census respondents with the surname Wawro, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wawro 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 Wawro surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.1% · 258
- Two or more races3.2% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wawro
Wawro 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
#65,964
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 300
-6 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.10
Rank movement Down 4,588 places
2020
#75,111
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 277
-23 bearers (-7.7%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 9,147 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #61,376 | 306 | 0.11 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #65,964 | 300 | 0.10 | -6 bearers (-2.0%) | Down 4,588 places |
| 2020 | #75,111 | 277 | 0.09 | -23 bearers (-7.7%) | Down 9,147 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 Wawro 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 | #65,964 | #75,111 | -13.9% |
| Count | 300 | 277 | -7.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.10 | 0.09 | -7.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wawro bearers went from 300 to 277 (-7.7% change). The surname moved down 9,147 positions in the national ranking, going from #65,964 to #75,111.
FAQ
Wawro surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wawro?
Name Census estimates that about 318 living Americans carry the surname Wawro. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,077,844 residents.
How common is Wawro?
Wawro ranks #75,111 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 277 people with the surname Wawro. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (318), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Wawro.
Has Wawro become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wawro went from 300 recorded bearers to 277. That is a decrease of 23 (-7.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #65,964 to #75,111.
What does the Census say about the background of Wawro?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wawro, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.2%) and Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Wawro in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.1% (258 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wawro appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.1%), Two or More Races (3.2%), Hispanic (2.5%). 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 Wawro (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 Wawro mean?
Of Polish origin, possibly denoting someone from the town of Wawro. 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 Wawro (0.09 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 Wawro?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.