2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wernett
A German surname derived from a place name or village.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Wernett. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wernett 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Wernett in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wernett, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.4%) and Black (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wernett
The surname Wernett is of Germanic origin, tracing its roots back to the regions of central Europe, particularly Germany and Switzerland. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, sometime between the 11th and 13th centuries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Codex Diplomaticus Salemitanus, a collection of medieval documents from the Benedictine monastery of Salem in modern-day Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In this document, dated around 1240, a certain "Wernhardus de Wernette" is mentioned, suggesting the name's association with a place or locality called "Wernette."
The surname Wernett is thought to be derived from the Old High German word "werinōn," meaning "to defend" or "to protect." This etymology suggests that the name may have initially been bestowed upon individuals who held positions related to defense or served as guardians or protectors, possibly in a military or feudal context.
In the 14th century, historical records from the region of Bavaria, Germany, reference a family by the name of Wernett. One notable member was Hans Wernett, born circa 1370, who served as a knight and landowner in the service of the Duke of Bavaria-Landshut.
Moving into the Renaissance period, the name Wernett appears in various manuscripts and chronicles from the German-speaking lands. In the 16th century, a scholar and theologian named Johann Wernett (1493-1551) gained prominence for his works on biblical exegesis and his involvement in the Protestant Reformation.
As the centuries progressed, the Wernett name spread across different regions of Europe, with notable individuals emerging in various fields. One such figure was the Swiss mathematician and astronomer Johann Wernett (1670-1736), who made significant contributions to the study of comets and the calculation of planetary orbits.
In the realm of literature, the German author and poet Friedrich Wernett (1829-1893) gained recognition for his works, including the acclaimed novel "Der Letzter Ritter" ("The Last Knight"), which explored themes of chivalry and honor in the medieval era.
Throughout its long history, the surname Wernett has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including scholars, artists, military figures, and professionals across various fields. While the name may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, its roots remain firmly rooted in the rich cultural heritage of central Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wernett
Among Census respondents with the surname Wernett, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.4%) and Black (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wernett 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 Wernett surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.1% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino14.4% · 17
- Black or African American1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wernett
Wernett 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+3 bearers (+2.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 5,915 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
-7 bearers (-5.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,799 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.5%) | Down 5,915 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.6%) | Down 8,799 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 Wernett 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 | #134,712 | #143,511 | -6.5% |
| Count | 125 | 118 | -5.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wernett bearers went from 125 to 118 (-5.6% change). The surname moved down 8,799 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #143,511.
FAQ
Wernett surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wernett?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Wernett. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Wernett?
Wernett ranks #143,511 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 118 people with the surname Wernett. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Wernett.
Has Wernett become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wernett went from 125 recorded bearers to 118. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Wernett?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wernett, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (14.4%) and Black (1.7%). 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 Wernett in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.1% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wernett appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.1%), Hispanic (14.4%), Black (1.7%). 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 Wernett (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 Wernett mean?
A German surname derived from a place name or village. 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 Wernett (0.04 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 last name Wernett?
You can see how many people have the surname Wernett on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.