2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Whyatt
A variant spelling of 'Wyatt', originally a nickname for a nimble or quick person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Whyatt. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Whyatt 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Whyatt with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Whyatt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Whyatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (12.7%) and Hispanic (10.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Whyatt
The surname Whyatt originates from England, where it emerged during the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Old English personal name "Wigheard," which comprises the elements "wig" meaning "war" and "heard" meaning "hardy" or "brave." It was common during medieval times for surnames to be formed from given names, signifying familial lineage or characteristics esteemed by the community.
Recorded examples of the name date back to the 13th century, often with various spellings such as Wiat, Wiatt, Wyat, and Wyatt. One of the earliest mentions is found in the subsidy rolls of Worcestershire in 1275, where a Richard Wiot is listed. Such tax records are essential historical documents as they provide insights into the distribution and prevalence of surnames during that era.
One of the most notable figures bearing this surname was Sir Thomas Wyatt the Elder, an English poet and diplomat born in 1503 and who died in 1542. He is often credited for introducing the sonnet into English literature and was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry VIII. His son, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, born circa 1521 and died in 1554, is remembered for leading Wyatt's Rebellion, a significant uprising during the reign of Queen Mary I.
In legal history, Sir Francis Wyatt stands out as a significant bearer of the surname. Born in 1575 and passing in 1644, he served as the Governor of Virginia in the early 17th century. His leadership was instrumental in navigating the challenges faced by the English colony during its formative years.
The surname Whyatt also finds mention in ecclesiastical records. John Whyatt appears in the Register of the University of Oxford in 1573, marking the presence of the surname in academic and clerical circles. Records like these underscore the varied roles individuals with this surname held across different societal sectors.
Another historical figure of interest is Henry Whyatt, who was known for his military service. He lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries, demonstrating the surname’s association with martial valor, paralleling its etymological roots.
In summary, the surname Whyatt has a rich and diverse history stretching back to medieval England. Its bearers have been involved in royalty, rebellion, academia, and governance, leaving their mark on various facets of historical development. The diverse spellings and notable individuals illustrate the name's evolving nature and the significant impact of those who carried it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Whyatt
Among Census respondents with the surname Whyatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (12.7%) and Hispanic (10.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Whyatt 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 Whyatt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.3% · 74
- Black or African American12.7% · 14
- Hispanic or Latino10.9% · 12
- Two or more races8.2% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Whyatt
Whyatt 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
#152,628
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,872 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+3 bearers (+2.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,182 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #152,628 | 107 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,872 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.8%) | Up 3,182 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 Whyatt 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 | #152,628 | #149,446 | 2.1% |
| Count | 107 | 110 | 2.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Whyatt bearers went from 107 to 110 (+2.8% change). The surname moved up 3,182 positions in the national ranking, going from #152,628 to #149,446.
FAQ
Whyatt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Whyatt?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Whyatt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Whyatt?
Whyatt ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 110 people with the surname Whyatt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Whyatt.
Has Whyatt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Whyatt went from 107 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 3 (+2.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #152,628 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Whyatt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Whyatt, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.3%. The next largest groups are Black (12.7%) and Hispanic (10.9%). 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 Whyatt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.3% (74 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Whyatt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.3%), Black (12.7%), Hispanic (10.9%). 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 Whyatt (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 Whyatt mean?
A variant spelling of 'Wyatt', originally a nickname for a nimble or quick person. 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 Whyatt (0.04 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 are called Whyatt?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Whyatt on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.