2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wheelon
A surname derived from an occupation involving wheels or the production of wheels.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wheelon. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wheelon 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
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Wheelon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheelon, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wheelon
The surname Wheelon likely finds its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. This name is thought to be of locational origin, which means it may have derived from a place where the original bearer of the surname lived or owned land. The exact place of origin is uncertain, but it’s reasonable to consider various sites in England that include similar phonetic elements, such as Wheelock in Cheshire or Weald in the southeastern counties, both of which can have linguistic connections to Wheelon.
The name Wheelon is derived from Old English elements. The "wheel" portion could be traced to the Old English "hweol," meaning wheel, possibly pointing towards an occupation or tool associated with the bearer of the name. Alternatively, the name Weald (meaning forest) could be suggestive of someone living near a forest or wooded area. This linguistic bridge ties the name closely to descriptions of geography or occupation.
Historical references of the name are scarce, but the surname Wheelon appeared in some medieval records. A notable early instance can be found in the 14th-century tax rolls, where a Richard de Whelyon was mentioned, which indicates that land transactions or taxes involving someone of this surname were documented in that era. The suffix "de" often used at that time suggests the person was identified with a specific place, pointing to the locational nature of the name.
One of the earliest recorded examples is from the 1350 Assize Rolls of Northamptonshire, where John de Wheelon is listed. This document provides a glimpse into the usage of the name and supports the notion that it was established by the 14th century.
During the 16th century, there was a rise in the use of surnames, and the Wheelon family became more prominent. Thomas Wheelon, a merchant born around 1520, was well-registered within trade circuits in London. His business dealings extended to various parts of England, marking the Wheelon name in commercial history.
In the 17th century, the Wheelon surname appeared in immigration records, particularly as families were moving to the New World. Edward Wheelon, born in 1615, was among the early settlers in the Virginia Colony, contributing to the spread of the surname across the Atlantic.
The name has seen various adaptations over the centuries. In some records, it appears as Whealon or Wheldone, reflecting changes in spelling that were common before the standardization of English spelling. These variations highlight the evolution of the surname as it traveled and adapted to different regions and dialects.
By the 19th century, Peter Wheelon, born in 1798, achieved a degree of fame as a significant figure in the industrial expansion in Northern England. Known for his contributions to the engineering field, particularly in the development of machinery, his legacy brought the surname into prominence within industrial and engineering history.
Overall, Wheelon is a surname with deep historical roots, originating in England and evolving through centuries of geographical and occupational influences. The presence of the name in various records and its phonetic variations over time provide a rich tapestry of its etymology and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wheelon
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheelon, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wheelon 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 Wheelon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White99.1% · 110
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wheelon
Wheelon 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+2 bearers (+1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,043 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-8 bearers (-6.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,508 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.7%) | Down 7,043 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.7%) | Down 8,508 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 Wheelon 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 | #140,157 | #148,665 | -6.1% |
| Count | 119 | 111 | -6.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wheelon bearers went from 119 to 111 (-6.7% change). The surname moved down 8,508 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wheelon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wheelon?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wheelon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wheelon?
Wheelon ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Wheelon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Wheelon.
Has Wheelon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wheelon went from 119 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wheelon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wheelon, the largest self-reported group is White at 99.1%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Wheelon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 99.1% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wheelon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (99.1%), American Indian/Alaska Native (0.9%). 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 Wheelon (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 Wheelon mean?
A surname derived from an occupation involving wheels or the production of wheels. 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 Wheelon (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 Americans have the surname Wheelon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.