2000
#20,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,207
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.45
Rare Last name
Wenning
A locational surname referring to someone from Wenningen, Germany.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,418 Americans carry the last name Wenning. That puts it at #21,526 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.41 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 241,717 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wenning 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
1.4K
1 in 241,717
Census rank
#21,526
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.4
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,237 bearers of the surname Wenning in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.41 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 21526th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wenning, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wenning
The surname "WENNING" is of German origin, derived from the Old High German word "winnan," which means "to toil" or "to struggle." This name likely originated during the Middle Ages, when surnames were adopted as a way to identify people based on their occupation, physical characteristics, or place of origin.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name "WENNING" can be found in the records of the town of Oberau, located in the Bavarian region of Germany, dating back to the 14th century. The name was likely associated with individuals who worked as laborers or farmers, as the root word "winnan" suggests a connection to hard work and toil.
In some regions of Germany, the name "WENNING" may also have been derived from a place name, such as the town of Wenningen, located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Place names were often used as surnames to identify individuals who lived in or came from a particular location.
Historically, the name "WENNING" has been associated with several notable individuals. One such person was Johann Wenning (1590-1660), a German theologian and professor at the University of Heidelberg, who is known for his contributions to the study of Protestant theology.
Another notable bearer of the surname "WENNING" was Friedrich Wenning (1765-1837), a German composer and organist who worked in the court of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. His compositions, particularly his organ works, were highly regarded during his time.
In the 19th century, Carl Wenning (1829-1907) was a prominent German industrialist and entrepreneur. He founded the Wenning Machinery Company, which became one of the leading manufacturers of agricultural machinery in Germany.
The name "WENNING" also appears in historical records from other parts of Europe. For example, in the Netherlands, there is a record of a family with the surname "Wenning" residing in the city of Utrecht in the 16th century.
Additionally, the name "WENNING" can be found in historical documents from regions of Austria, Switzerland, and parts of northern France, suggesting that it may have spread beyond its German origins over time.
While the exact origins and early history of the surname "WENNING" are not fully known, it is clear that this name has a long and rich history, with roots that can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the German-speaking regions of Europe. Its connection to words related to labor and hard work has given the name a distinct meaning and cultural significance over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wenning
Among Census respondents with the surname Wenning, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wenning 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 Wenning surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 1,174
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 27
- Two or more races1.5% · 18
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 10
- Black or African American0.4% · 5
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wenning
Wenning 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
#21,960
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,182
-25 bearers (-2.1%)
Per 100,000 0.40
Rank movement Down 1,514 places
2020
#21,526
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,237
+55 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.41
Rank movement Up 434 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,446 | 1,207 | 0.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #21,960 | 1,182 | 0.40 | -25 bearers (-2.1%) | Down 1,514 places |
| 2020 | #21,526 | 1,237 | 0.41 | +55 bearers (+4.7%) | Up 434 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 Wenning 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 | #21,960 | #21,526 | 2.0% |
| Count | 1,182 | 1,237 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.40 | 0.41 | 3.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wenning bearers went from 1,182 to 1,237 (+4.7% change). The surname moved up 434 positions in the national ranking, going from #21,960 to #21,526.
FAQ
Wenning surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wenning?
Name Census estimates that about 1,418 living Americans carry the surname Wenning. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 241,717 residents.
How common is Wenning?
Wenning ranks #21,526 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.41 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 1,237 people with the surname Wenning. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,418), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.41 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.41 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 Wenning.
Has Wenning become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wenning went from 1,182 recorded bearers to 1,237. That is an increase of 55 (+4.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #21,960 to #21,526.
What does the Census say about the background of Wenning?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wenning, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.2%) and Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Wenning in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (1,174 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wenning appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (2.2%), Two or More Races (1.5%). 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 Wenning (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 Wenning mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from Wenningen, Germany. 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 Wenning (0.41 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 Wenning?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.