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

Wellman, 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 Wellman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wellman in America

Wellman is the 3208th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wellman surname appeared 11,260 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Wellman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wellman 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 Wellman

The surname Wellman is of English origin, emerging in the late medieval period. It is derived from the occupational term "wellman," referring to a person responsible for maintaining and operating a well or water supply for a community or estate.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327, which mention a John le Welleman. This suggests that the surname was already in use by the 14th century, likely evolving from the earlier spelling "Welleman."

In the 15th century, the Wellman surname appeared in various records across different regions of England. For example, the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1443 mention a Thomas Welman, while the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1478 record a John Welman.

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Wellman. However, it does mention several places with names containing the root "well," such as Wellebec in Lincolnshire and Wellesberie in Somerset, which may have influenced the development of the surname in those areas.

Notable historical figures bearing the Wellman surname include:

1. William Wellman (1896-1975), an American film director known for classics such as "The Public Enemy" and "A Star Is Born."
2. Walter Wellman (1858-1934), an American explorer who attempted to reach the North Pole by airship in 1907 and 1909.
3. Paul Wellman (1898-1966), an American author and journalist best known for his biographies of historical figures like Kit Carson and Wyatt Earp.
4. Reverend Walter C. Wellman (1859-1937), an American minister and educator who served as the president of Ohio Wesleyan University from 1904 to 1916.
5. Manly Wellman (1859-1946), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Wellman Institute of Industrial Research in 1925.

Over time, the Wellman surname has also been associated with various place names, particularly in England. For example, the village of Wellmanor in Hertfordshire and the hamlet of Wellman's Wood in Kent may have derived their names from individuals or families bearing the Wellman surname in those areas.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wellman

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

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 Wellman 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 Wellman 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 Wellman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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