2000
#101,654
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 164
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Whorf
A surname of English origin meaning "Wharf-dweller" or someone living near a harbor or wharf.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 166 Americans carry the last name Whorf. That puts it at #124,450 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,064,785 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whorf 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
166
1 in 2,064,785
Census rank
#124,450
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
145
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 145 bearers of the surname Whorf in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 124450th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whorf
The surname Whorf is believed to have originated from England, with its earliest known records dating back to the medieval period, roughly around the 12th century. The name is thought to derive from the Old English word "weorþ," meaning "enclosure" or "homestead," and could have been used to denote someone who lived or worked near an enclosure or a notable homestead.
One of the first documented instances of the surname Whorf appears in ancient parish records and land grants from Yorkshire and surrounding counties in the north of England. Variants of the name, such as Wharfe and Warf, appeared in these records. These variants suggest the name could have been influenced by regional dialects and Old Norse language, which was common in the northern parts of England due to Viking invasions.
The name Whorf is also linked to geographical features, particularly bodies of water. The River Wharfe in Yorkshire is a notable place name that shares the same linguistic root. This connection may indicate that some early bearers of the Whorf surname lived near or had occupations related to this river or other similar water-based landmarks.
An early prominent figure with this surname was Richard de Wharfe, an English landholder in the 13th century. His name appears in property transactions and manorial rolls of the time, highlighting the surname's long-standing association with the region.
Another notable individual from history is John Wharfe, a 16th-century merchant who operated in the bustling trade city of York. His commercial activities and contributions to local guilds were well-documented, making him a significant name in local historical records.
Jumping forward to the 19th century, Benjamin Lee Whorf (1897-1941) stands out as a distinguished figure, not from England, but America. His contributions as a renowned linguist, particularly in the areas of linguistic relativity and the study of indigenous languages, brought renewed interest to the surname.
Another noteworthy individual is Arthur R. Whorf, recorded in historical documents from the early 20th century, who was an influential community leader and philanthropist in his local area. His contributions to education and public service were widely acknowledged, leaving a lasting legacy.
Marion Whorf Kelley (1908-2000) also brought the surname into prominence through her work as an author and historian, delving into familial and regional histories. Her published works often explored the origins and lineage of names, including Whorf, providing invaluable insights into genealogical studies.
Throughout history, the surname Whorf has maintained a consistent presence in documentation, reflecting both the geographical and occupational origins that have shaped its legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whorf
Among Census respondents with the surname Whorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Whorf 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 Whorf surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.2% · 138
- Hispanic or Latino2.1% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.4% · 2
- Black or African American0.7% · 1
- Two or more races0.7% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whorf
Whorf 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
#117,480
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 148
-16 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 15,826 places
2020
#124,450
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 145
-3 bearers (-2.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,970 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #101,654 | 164 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #117,480 | 148 | 0.05 | -16 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 15,826 places |
| 2020 | #124,450 | 145 | 0.05 | -3 bearers (-2.0%) | Down 6,970 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 Whorf 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 | #117,480 | #124,450 | -5.9% |
| Count | 148 | 145 | -2.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whorf bearers went from 148 to 145 (-2.0% change). The surname moved down 6,970 positions in the national ranking, going from #117,480 to #124,450.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Whorf
FAQ
Whorf surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whorf?
Name Census estimates that about 166 living Americans carry the surname Whorf. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,064,785 residents.
How common is Whorf?
Whorf ranks #124,450 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 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 145 people with the surname Whorf. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (166), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 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 Whorf.
Has Whorf become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whorf went from 148 recorded bearers to 145. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #117,480 to #124,450.
What does the Census say about the background of Whorf?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whorf, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.1%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Whorf in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.2% (138 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whorf appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.2%), Hispanic (2.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.4%). 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 Whorf (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 Whorf mean?
A surname of English origin meaning "Wharf-dweller" or someone living near a harbor or wharf. 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 Whorf (0.05 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 Whorf?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.