2000
#11,100
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,625
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.97
Rare Last name
Westman
A surname denoting someone who lived west of a settlement or originated from western Europe.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,712 Americans carry the last name Westman. That puts it at #12,512 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.79 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 126,384 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Westman 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 Westman with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 126,384
Census rank
#12,512
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,365 bearers of the surname Westman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.79 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12512th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Westman, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Westman
The surname Westman originated in England during the medieval period, derived from the Old English words "west" and "mann," meaning "a man from the west." It was a locational name given to someone who lived west of a particular town, village, or landmark.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century, with references found in various historical documents, such as the Hundred Rolls of 1273. One notable example is John Westman, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1275.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Placita de Quo Warranto records of 1292, where Robert Westman was listed as a landowner in Norfolk. During this period, the surname was also found in various spellings, including Westeman and Westemon.
As the name spread across England, it became associated with several place names, such as Westmantown in Yorkshire and Westmanscote in Gloucestershire. These place names likely contributed to the adoption of the surname by families residing in those areas.
One of the earliest known bearers of the Westman surname was Sir John Westman, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. His descendants continued to use the surname and held prominent positions in various parts of England.
In the 16th century, the surname gained further recognition with the birth of Thomas Westman (1522-1592), an English theologian and Protestant reformer. He was a prominent figure during the Reformation and played a significant role in the translation of the Geneva Bible.
Another notable individual with the Westman surname was Sir John Westman (1632-1705), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from London. He donated funds for the construction of several churches and supported various charitable causes.
During the 17th century, the Westman family also established itself in the American colonies. One of the earliest recorded individuals was William Westman, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 and later settled in Maryland.
In the 19th century, the surname gained prominence with the birth of Charles Westman (1827-1892), a Swedish-American inventor and engineer. He is best known for his contributions to the development of the modern sewing machine and other innovative designs.
Throughout its history, the Westman surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including nobles, clergy, merchants, and artisans, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and occupations of those who bore this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Westman
Among Census respondents with the surname Westman, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Westman 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 Westman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.8% · 2,170
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 78
- Two or more races2.3% · 54
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 26
- Black or African American0.4% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Westman
Westman 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
#11,257
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,808
+183 bearers (+7.0%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Down 157 places
2020
#12,512
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,365
-443 bearers (-15.8%)
Per 100,000 0.79
Rank movement Down 1,255 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,100 | 2,625 | 0.97 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,257 | 2,808 | 0.95 | +183 bearers (+7.0%) | Down 157 places |
| 2020 | #12,512 | 2,365 | 0.79 | -443 bearers (-15.8%) | Down 1,255 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 Westman 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 | #11,257 | #12,512 | -11.1% |
| Count | 2,808 | 2,365 | -15.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.95 | 0.79 | -16.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Westman bearers went from 2,808 to 2,365 (-15.8% change). The surname moved down 1,255 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,257 to #12,512.
FAQ
Westman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Westman?
Name Census estimates that about 2,712 living Americans carry the surname Westman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 126,384 residents.
How common is Westman?
Westman ranks #12,512 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.79 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 2,365 people with the surname Westman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,712), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.79 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.79 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 Westman.
Has Westman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Westman went from 2,808 recorded bearers to 2,365. That is a decrease of 443 (-15.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,257 to #12,512.
What does the Census say about the background of Westman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Westman, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.3%) and Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Westman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.8% (2,170 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Westman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.8%), Hispanic (3.3%), Two or More Races (2.3%). 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 Westman (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 Westman mean?
A surname denoting someone who lived west of a settlement or originated from western Europe. 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 Westman (0.79 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 Westman?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Westman at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.