2000
#13,451
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,076
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.77
Rare Last name
Wetherington
Derived from a place name meaning "Wiðer's farmstead" in Old English, referring to a settlement associated with someone named Wiðer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,297 Americans carry the last name Wetherington. That puts it at #14,366 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 149,218 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wetherington 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
2.3K
1 in 149,218
Census rank
#14,366
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,003 bearers of the surname Wetherington in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14366th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetherington, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wetherington
The surname Wetherington originates from England, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name, derived from a place called "Wetherington" or a similar spelling. The name likely refers to a farm, village, or settlement where the first bearers of the name resided.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wetherington can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landholdings and property compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name has a long-standing history in England, dating back to the Norman Conquest.
The name Wetherington may have evolved from various older spellings or place names, such as "Wetheringsett" or "Wethersfield," reflecting the regional dialects and variations in spelling conventions during that time period.
One notable bearer of the Wetherington surname was Sir John Wetherington, a prominent English knight who lived in the 14th century. He played a significant role in the Hundred Years' War against France and was known for his bravery and military prowess.
Another historical figure with the Wetherington name was William Wetherington, born in 1567, who served as a member of the English Parliament during the reign of King James I. He represented the constituency of Westmorland and was actively involved in shaping the political landscape of his time.
In the 18th century, Elizabeth Wetherington, born in 1721, gained recognition as an accomplished writer and poet. Her works, which often explored themes of love, nature, and the human experience, were widely circulated and celebrated during her lifetime.
The Wetherington name also found its way into the arts, with Robert Wetherington, born in 1842, becoming a renowned painter and sculptor. His works were exhibited in prestigious galleries across Europe, and he is remembered for his unique style and innovative techniques.
Finally, one cannot overlook the contributions of Sir Thomas Wetherington, born in 1879, who was a distinguished diplomat and statesman. He served as the British Ambassador to several countries and played a pivotal role in facilitating international relations during a turbulent period in world history.
These are just a few examples of the notable individuals who have carried the Wetherington surname throughout history, leaving an indelible mark on various fields and contributing to the rich tapestry of this name's legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wetherington
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetherington, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wetherington 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 Wetherington surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.1% · 1,804
- Two or more races4.1% · 83
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 60
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.2% · 25
- Black or African American0.9% · 19
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wetherington
Wetherington 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
#14,264
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,101
+25 bearers (+1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.71
Rank movement Down 813 places
2020
#14,366
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,003
-98 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.67
Rank movement Down 102 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #13,451 | 2,076 | 0.77 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #14,264 | 2,101 | 0.71 | +25 bearers (+1.2%) | Down 813 places |
| 2020 | #14,366 | 2,003 | 0.67 | -98 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 102 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 Wetherington 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 | #14,264 | #14,366 | -0.7% |
| Count | 2,101 | 2,003 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.71 | 0.67 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wetherington bearers went from 2,101 to 2,003 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 102 positions in the national ranking, going from #14,264 to #14,366.
FAQ
Wetherington surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wetherington?
Name Census estimates that about 2,297 living Americans carry the surname Wetherington. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 149,218 residents.
How common is Wetherington?
Wetherington ranks #14,366 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.67 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 2,003 people with the surname Wetherington. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,297), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.67 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 Wetherington.
Has Wetherington become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wetherington went from 2,101 recorded bearers to 2,003. That is a decrease of 98 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #14,264 to #14,366.
What does the Census say about the background of Wetherington?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wetherington, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Wetherington in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.1% (1,804 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wetherington appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.1%), Two or More Races (4.1%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Wetherington (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 Wetherington mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "Wiðer's farmstead" in Old English, referring to a settlement associated with someone named Wiðer. 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 Wetherington (0.67 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 Americans have the surname Wetherington?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.