2000
#11,943
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,400
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.89
Rare Last name
Wedge
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of wedges, or a nickname for someone who lived near a wedge-shaped geographical feature.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,588 Americans carry the last name Wedge. That puts it at #13,010 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.76 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 132,440 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wedge 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wedge with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 132,440
Census rank
#13,010
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,257 bearers of the surname Wedge in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.76 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13010th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wedge, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wedge
The surname Wedge is believed to have originated in England, potentially during the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wecg," which means "wedge" or a triangular-shaped tool used for splitting materials. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who worked with wedges or made them as a profession.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wedge can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This indicates that the name was present among the English population during the Norman conquest.
In the 13th century, the surname appears in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire, where a certain William Wedge is mentioned as a landowner. The name also appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating its presence in different regions of England.
The surname Wedge has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such person was John Wedge (c. 1584-1617), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Taunton, Somerset. He is known for his work "A View of the Present State of the Province of Munster" (1617), which provides insights into the Irish province during his time.
Another notable figure was Sir John Wedge (1639-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for West Looe in Cornwall. He played a role in the Restoration of the monarchy and was knighted by King Charles II.
In the 18th century, Thomas Wedge (1717-1778) was a prominent English engraver and painter from London. He is known for his intricate engravings of architectural subjects and landscapes.
The 19th century saw the birth of Frederick Wedge (1844-1921), an English architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal College of Music and the Whitechapel Art Gallery.
Lastly, one of the more recent individuals with the surname Wedge was David Wedge (1920-2007), a British film and television actor who appeared in numerous productions throughout the 20th century, including popular shows like "The Avengers" and "Dad's Army."
While the surname Wedge has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and various diasporas. However, its origins and early history remain deeply rooted in the English language and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wedge
Among Census respondents with the surname Wedge, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wedge 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 Wedge surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.1% · 1,944
- Black or African American6.0% · 136
- Two or more races3.8% · 85
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 64
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 18
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wedge
Wedge 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
#12,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,463
+63 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.83
Rank movement Down 623 places
2020
#13,010
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,257
-206 bearers (-8.4%)
Per 100,000 0.76
Rank movement Down 444 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,943 | 2,400 | 0.89 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #12,566 | 2,463 | 0.83 | +63 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 623 places |
| 2020 | #13,010 | 2,257 | 0.76 | -206 bearers (-8.4%) | Down 444 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 Wedge 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 | #12,566 | #13,010 | -3.5% |
| Count | 2,463 | 2,257 | -8.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.83 | 0.76 | -9.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wedge bearers went from 2,463 to 2,257 (-8.4% change). The surname moved down 444 positions in the national ranking, going from #12,566 to #13,010.
FAQ
Wedge surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wedge?
Name Census estimates that about 2,588 living Americans carry the surname Wedge. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 132,440 residents.
How common is Wedge?
Wedge ranks #13,010 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.76 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 2,257 people with the surname Wedge. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,588), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.76 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.76 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 Wedge.
Has Wedge become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wedge went from 2,463 recorded bearers to 2,257. That is a decrease of 206 (-8.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #12,566 to #13,010.
What does the Census say about the background of Wedge?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wedge, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.1%. The next largest groups are Black (6.0%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Wedge in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.1% (1,944 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wedge appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.1%), Black (6.0%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Wedge (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 Wedge mean?
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of wedges, or a nickname for someone who lived near a wedge-shaped geographical feature. 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 Wedge (0.76 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 have the surname Wedge?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.