2000
#50,572
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 388
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.14
Very Rare Last name
Whinnery
An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "whinnard" meaning a carter or driver of horses.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 443 Americans carry the last name Whinnery. That puts it at #57,050 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.13 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 773,712 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whinnery 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
443
1 in 773,712
Census rank
#57,050
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
386
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 386 bearers of the surname Whinnery in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.13 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 57050th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whinnery, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whinnery
The surname Whinnery is of English origin, primarily emerging from the northern regions, particularly in areas like Northumberland and Durham. The earliest records hint at its formation during the medieval period, around the 13th to 14th centuries. The name likely derives from Old English, with a foundation in geographic descriptors; influenced by words such as hwinn (a common term for a patch of thorny vegetation, like gorse or furze) and erg (an old term for a clearing or a woodland area).
Whinnery first appears in documented records in the form of land grants and legal transactions. One of the oldest references to the name is found in the 1296 Ragman Rolls, where an Adam de Whinnery was listed pledging allegiance to Edward I of England. This important document contains numerous references to landowners and significant figures during the period. Such records are crucial for tracing surname history, providing a snapshot of its use and proliferation.
Another early example is a Richard Whinnery recorded in Durham's Priory Rolls during the early 14th century, marking his involvement in local governance and community responsibilities. It is a clear indication that the name had established itself in the northern parts of England by this time, likely carried by families who were involved in agriculture and management of local lands, reflective of its roots.
In the 15th century, John Whinnery, born in 1422, became notable as a merchant and a minor local official in Northumberland. His records include instances of trade and municipal duties, showing a shift from purely agrarian associations to more varied social roles. His legacy includes several documented transactions encompassing the transport of goods through the area.
The surname also crossed the Atlantic with the British diaspora. George Whinnery (born in 1750), an immigrant to the American colonies, became one of the early settlers in Pennsylvania. His lineage provides an example of how the surname adapted and persisted outside its geographically confined origins, integrating into new societal frameworks.
Historically prominent figures bearing the surname include William Whinnery, an influential figure in Northern England during the late 18th century, born in 1768, known for his considerable contributions to local agricultural advancements and community welfare projects. He left a substantial estate, reflecting his status and influence in the area.
Whinnery remains a relatively uncommon surname, rooted in its geographical and historical contexts, embodying a transformation from medieval land associations to modern legacies. Each historical figure with the surname has contributed to its enduring legacy, marking its presence in historical records and regional histories.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whinnery
Among Census respondents with the surname Whinnery, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Whinnery 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 Whinnery surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.1% · 371
- Two or more races1.6% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino1.3% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.3% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whinnery
Whinnery 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
#49,636
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 423
+35 bearers (+9.0%)
Per 100,000 0.14
Rank movement Up 936 places
2020
#57,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 386
-37 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.13
Rank movement Down 7,414 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #50,572 | 388 | 0.14 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #49,636 | 423 | 0.14 | +35 bearers (+9.0%) | Up 936 places |
| 2020 | #57,050 | 386 | 0.13 | -37 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 7,414 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 Whinnery 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 | #49,636 | #57,050 | -14.9% |
| Count | 423 | 386 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.14 | 0.13 | -7.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whinnery bearers went from 423 to 386 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 7,414 positions in the national ranking, going from #49,636 to #57,050.
FAQ
Whinnery surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whinnery?
Name Census estimates that about 443 living Americans carry the surname Whinnery. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 773,712 residents.
How common is Whinnery?
Whinnery ranks #57,050 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.13 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 386 people with the surname Whinnery. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (443), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.13 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.13 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 Whinnery.
Has Whinnery become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whinnery went from 423 recorded bearers to 386. That is a decrease of 37 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #49,636 to #57,050.
What does the Census say about the background of Whinnery?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whinnery, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (1.6%) and Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Whinnery in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.1% (371 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whinnery appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.1%), Two or More Races (1.6%), Hispanic (1.3%). 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 Whinnery (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 Whinnery mean?
An occupational surname derived from the Old English word "whinnard" meaning a carter or driver of horses. 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 Whinnery (0.13 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 Whinnery?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.