2000
#14,108
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,957
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.73
Rare Last name
Whipkey
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of whips, or a nickname for a skillful horse driver.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,210 Americans carry the last name Whipkey. That puts it at #14,783 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.64 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 155,092 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whipkey 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
2.2K
1 in 155,092
Census rank
#14,783
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,927 bearers of the surname Whipkey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.64 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 14783rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whipkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whipkey
The surname Whipkey is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, likely derived from an occupational name or a locational name related to the production or use of whips.
One theory suggests that the name Whipkey is an anglicized version of the Old English word "hwæpere," which means "maker of whips." This points to the possibility that the earliest bearers of this surname were craftsmen involved in the manufacturing of whips, a valuable tool in various industries and trades at the time.
Another theory links the name to a place name, possibly a location where whips were produced or where a whip-making industry thrived. In this case, the surname could have originated as a descriptive name referring to someone who lived near or was associated with such a place.
Historical records indicate that the surname Whipkey first appeared in the Huntingdonshire area of England during the 13th century. One of the earliest known references is found in the Pipe Rolls of Huntingdonshire from 1273, which mentions a "Robert le Whipker."
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not include the surname Whipkey explicitly. However, it does list several individuals with similar occupational names, such as "Willelmus Corderius" (a rope maker) and "Radulfus Cordewanarius" (a cord maker), suggesting the existence of related trades at the time.
In the 14th century, the surname Whipkey appeared in various spellings, including "Whipkey," "Whipker," and "Whipker." These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation common in medieval times.
One notable figure bearing this surname was Sir John Whipkey (c. 1325 - 1398), a landowner and knight who served in the armies of Edward III during the Hundred Years' War. Records from the time mention his participation in the Siege of Calais in 1347.
Another historical figure was Richard Whipkey (c. 1450 - 1521), a merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He is recorded as having played a significant role in the city's governance and trade affairs during the reign of Henry VII.
In the 16th century, a branch of the Whipkey family settled in the county of Yorkshire, where they became prominent landowners and farmers. One notable member was Thomas Whipkey (1570 - 1642), a yeoman farmer who acquired substantial landholdings in the village of Ripon.
During the English Civil War, Captain William Whipkey (1610 - 1670) served in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644, and was later granted lands in Lincolnshire for his service.
In the 18th century, the Whipkey surname was also found in Scotland, where a branch of the family had likely migrated. One notable figure was Robert Whipkey (1745 - 1823), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Glasgow's development.
Throughout its history, the surname Whipkey has been associated with various occupations, from skilled craftsmen and merchants to landowners and military figures, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and roles of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whipkey
Among Census respondents with the surname Whipkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Whipkey 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 Whipkey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.7% · 1,767
- Two or more races4.8% · 92
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 42
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 8
- Black or African American0.3% · 6
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whipkey
Whipkey 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
#15,056
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,961
+4 bearers (+0.2%)
Per 100,000 0.66
Rank movement Down 948 places
2020
#14,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,927
-34 bearers (-1.7%)
Per 100,000 0.64
Rank movement Up 273 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #14,108 | 1,957 | 0.73 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #15,056 | 1,961 | 0.66 | +4 bearers (+0.2%) | Down 948 places |
| 2020 | #14,783 | 1,927 | 0.64 | -34 bearers (-1.7%) | Up 273 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 Whipkey 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 | #15,056 | #14,783 | 1.8% |
| Count | 1,961 | 1,927 | -1.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.66 | 0.64 | -2.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whipkey bearers went from 1,961 to 1,927 (-1.7% change). The surname moved up 273 positions in the national ranking, going from #15,056 to #14,783.
FAQ
Whipkey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whipkey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,210 living Americans carry the surname Whipkey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 155,092 residents.
How common is Whipkey?
Whipkey ranks #14,783 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.64 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 1,927 people with the surname Whipkey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,210), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.64 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.64 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 Whipkey.
Has Whipkey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whipkey went from 1,961 recorded bearers to 1,927. That is a decrease of 34 (-1.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #15,056 to #14,783.
What does the Census say about the background of Whipkey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whipkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.7%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Whipkey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.7% (1,767 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whipkey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.7%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Whipkey (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 Whipkey mean?
An occupational surname referring to a maker or seller of whips, or a nickname for a skillful horse driver. 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 Whipkey (0.64 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 common is the surname Whipkey?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Whipkey is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.