Find out how popular the last name Wherry is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wherry.

Wherry, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wherry surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wherry in America

Wherry is the 14014th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wherry surname appeared 2,149 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wherry.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wherry to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wherry

The surname Wherry originated in England and dates back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "hwær," meaning "to turn" or "to wander," suggesting a connection to a nomadic lifestyle or occupation.

The name is believed to have first appeared in the county of Norfolk, where many families with this surname resided. It is thought to be associated with the occupation of a ferryman or boatman, particularly those who operated small boats known as "wherries" on the rivers and waterways of Norfolk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wherry can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273. This document lists several individuals with the surname Wherry or similar spellings, such as Robert le Wherry and William le Wherry.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of Norfolk, which were tax records. This further solidifies the presence of the Wherry family in the region during that time.

One notable figure with the surname Wherry was Sir Robert Wherry (c. 1550-1629), an English merchant and politician who served as Sheriff of London in 1611 and Lord Mayor of London in 1618-1619.

Another prominent individual was John Wherry (1629-1716), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1683 to 1716.

In the 18th century, Francis Wherry (1748-1828) was a renowned English engraver and illustrator known for his intricate landscapes and architectural works.

The name Wherry also has connections to place names in Norfolk, such as Wherry Town and Wherry Hill, which may have derived their names from the occupation or presence of Wherry families in those areas.

Samuel Wherry (1773-1830), an English clergyman and author, was born in Norfolk and published several works on theology and ecclesiastical history.

The surname Wherry has endured for centuries, with many families carrying this name and contributing to various fields throughout history, primarily in England but also in other parts of the world where English settlers and emigrants established themselves.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wherry

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wherry.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wherry was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wherry has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wherry was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wherry, please contact us.

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