Find out how popular the last name Wee is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wee.

Wee, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wee surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wee in America

Wee is the 19865th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wee surname appeared 1,353 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wee.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wee to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wee

The surname "Wee" is of Scottish origin and is believed to have emerged in the 16th century. It is thought to be a descriptive name derived from the Scots word "wee," which means small or little. The name was likely given as a nickname to someone of small stature or a shorter person.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "Wee" can be found in the Ratton Parish Register of 1586, where a John Wee is mentioned. Another early reference is in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland from 1603, which lists a David Wee.

The name "Wee" has been found in various historical records throughout Scotland, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. It is believed that the name may have originated in these areas, although it later spread to other parts of the country.

In the 17th century, the surname "Wee" was sometimes spelled as "Wey" or "Weye," reflecting the regional pronunciation and dialects of the time. The name has also been associated with certain place names, such as Weeburn and Weetown, which may have influenced its development.

Notable individuals throughout history who bore the surname "Wee" include:

1. Robert Wee (c. 1570-1640), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Rector of the University of Glasgow.
2. William Wee (1640-1706), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a role in the Darien Scheme, an ill-fated attempt to establish a Scottish colony in Panama.
3. John Wee (1718-1792), a Scottish farmer and landowner from Ayrshire who was involved in local politics.
4. Elizabeth Wee (1784-1858), a Scottish author and poet who published several works on Scottish history and culture.
5. James Wee (1825-1898), a Scottish engineer and inventor who contributed to the development of early steam engines.

While the surname "Wee" may not be as common today as it once was, it remains a part of Scotland's rich cultural heritage and serves as a reminder of the descriptive and often humorous nature of many Scottish surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wee

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wee.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wee was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wee has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wee was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wee, please contact us.

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