2000
#6,208
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,077
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.88
Rare Last name
Whitmer
An occupational surname referring to a white tanner or dresser of light-colored leather.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,923 Americans carry the last name Whitmer. That puts it at #6,331 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 57,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whitmer 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
5.9K
1 in 57,868
Census rank
#6,331
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,165 bearers of the surname Whitmer in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6331st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whitmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whitmer
The surname Whitmer is believed to have originated in England, likely during the medieval period. It is thought to be derived from the Old English word "hwit," meaning white, and "mere," referring to a boundary or lake. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to describe someone who lived near a white or light-colored body of water.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Witemere." This entry refers to a location in Warwickshire, indicating that the name was already in use as a place name during the 11th century.
Over time, the spelling of the name evolved, with variations such as "Whytmere," "Whitmere," and "Whitmer" appearing in various historical records. These changes likely reflect regional dialects and linguistic shifts that occurred across different parts of England.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named William Whitmer was recorded as a landowner in the county of Oxfordshire. This suggests that by this point, the name had become established as a surname among certain families.
During the 16th century, a prominent individual named John Whitmer (1520-1589) served as a member of the English Parliament, representing the borough of Calne in Wiltshire. His involvement in politics indicates that the Whitmer family had achieved a certain level of status and influence by this time.
Another significant figure bearing the Whitmer surname was Richard Whitmer (1645-1718), who was a renowned clockmaker in London during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His work contributed to the advancement of timekeeping technology and the development of precision instruments.
In the 19th century, a man named Charles Whitmer (1805-1878) gained recognition as a prolific writer and journalist, publishing works on various subjects, including history, politics, and social commentary.
Throughout its history, the surname Whitmer has been associated with various locations across England, including Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, and London, among others. While the name has evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the early medieval period.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whitmer
Among Census respondents with the surname Whitmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Whitmer 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 Whitmer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 4,781
- Two or more races3.1% · 158
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 157
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 34
- Black or African American0.4% · 21
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whitmer
Whitmer 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
#6,398
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,317
+240 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 1.80
Rank movement Down 190 places
2020
#6,331
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,165
-152 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 1.73
Rank movement Up 67 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,208 | 5,077 | 1.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,398 | 5,317 | 1.80 | +240 bearers (+4.7%) | Down 190 places |
| 2020 | #6,331 | 5,165 | 1.73 | -152 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 67 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 Whitmer 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 | #6,398 | #6,331 | 1.0% |
| Count | 5,317 | 5,165 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 1.80 | 1.73 | -4.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whitmer bearers went from 5,317 to 5,165 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 67 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,398 to #6,331.
FAQ
Whitmer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whitmer?
Name Census estimates that about 5,923 living Americans carry the surname Whitmer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 57,868 residents.
How common is Whitmer?
Whitmer ranks #6,331 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.73 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,165 people with the surname Whitmer. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,923), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.73 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Whitmer.
Has Whitmer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whitmer went from 5,317 recorded bearers to 5,165. That is a decrease of 152 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,398 to #6,331.
What does the Census say about the background of Whitmer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whitmer, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.1%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Whitmer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (4,781 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whitmer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Two or More Races (3.1%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Whitmer (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 Whitmer mean?
An occupational surname referring to a white tanner or dresser of light-colored leather. 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 Whitmer (1.73 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 share the surname Whitmer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.