2000
#2,740
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,097
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.48
Uncommon Last name
Wheatley
From a place name meaning "wheat meadow" in Old English, or a person who lived near a wheat field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,802 Americans carry the last name Wheatley. That puts it at #2,919 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,834 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wheatley 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 Wheatley with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,834
Census rank
#2,919
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,036 bearers of the surname Wheatley in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2919th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wheatley
The surname Wheatley has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "hwæte" meaning wheat, and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing, essentially translating to "wheat meadow." This indicates that the name likely originated as a place name for a settlement or area known for its wheat cultivation.
The name can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Hwætelei" and "Watelea," referring to various locations in counties like Nottinghamshire and Gloucestershire. These early spellings demonstrate the evolution of the name over time, reflecting the changes in language and pronunciation.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wheatley was John de Wheatley, who lived in Gloucestershire in the 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir Thomas Wheatley (c. 1535-1612), an English judge and legal writer during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the 17th century, the name Wheatley was associated with several prominent individuals, including Benjamin Wheatley (1602-1681), an English Puritan minister and one of the founders of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in the American colonies. Another notable bearer was Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784), an African-American poet and the first African-American author to have a book published.
The 18th century saw the rise of the Wheatley family of Yorkshire, with Charles Wheatley (1686-1742) being a renowned painter and engraver. His son, Francis Wheatley (1747-1801), also achieved fame as a portrait painter and was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1791.
In the 19th century, the name was associated with James Wheatley (1806-1869), a British inventor and engineer who contributed significantly to the development of the modern steam engine. Another notable figure was William Wheatley (1865-1950), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club.
The surname Wheatley has a rich history rooted in England's agricultural past and has been borne by individuals from various walks of life, including writers, artists, clergymen, inventors, and sportsmen. Its enduring presence in the English-speaking world reflects the diverse contributions made by those who carried this name throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wheatley
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Two or More Races (3.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wheatley 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 Wheatley surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.1% · 9,758
- Black or African American11.1% · 1,338
- Two or more races3.7% · 451
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 357
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 75
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 57
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wheatley
Wheatley 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
#2,875
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,520
+423 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 4.24
Rank movement Down 135 places
2020
#2,919
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,036
-484 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 4.03
Rank movement Down 44 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,740 | 12,097 | 4.48 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,875 | 12,520 | 4.24 | +423 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 135 places |
| 2020 | #2,919 | 12,036 | 4.03 | -484 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 44 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 Wheatley 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 | #2,875 | #2,919 | -1.5% |
| Count | 12,520 | 12,036 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 4.24 | 4.03 | -5.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wheatley bearers went from 12,520 to 12,036 (-3.9% change). The surname moved down 44 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,875 to #2,919.
FAQ
Wheatley surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wheatley?
Name Census estimates that about 13,802 living Americans carry the surname Wheatley. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,834 residents.
How common is Wheatley?
Wheatley ranks #2,919 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,036 people with the surname Wheatley. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,802), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Wheatley.
Has Wheatley become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wheatley went from 12,520 recorded bearers to 12,036. That is a decrease of 484 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,875 to #2,919.
What does the Census say about the background of Wheatley?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheatley, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (11.1%) and Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Wheatley in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.1% (9,758 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wheatley appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.1%), Black (11.1%), Two or More Races (3.7%). 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 Wheatley (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 Wheatley mean?
From a place name meaning "wheat meadow" in Old English, or a person who lived near a wheat field. 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 Wheatley (4.03 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 Wheatley?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Wheatley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.