2000
#12,657
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,241
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.83
Rare Last name
Wichman
A locational surname derived from the place name Wijchen in the Netherlands.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,510 Americans carry the last name Wichman. That puts it at #13,326 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.73 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 136,556 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wichman 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
2.5K
1 in 136,556
Census rank
#13,326
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,189 bearers of the surname Wichman in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.73 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13326th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wichman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wichman
The surname Wichman has its origins in the Germanic-speaking regions of Europe, notably Germany. Emerging in the early Middle Ages, the name Wichman is believed to derive from the Old High German elements "wic" meaning "battle" or "war," and "man" meaning "man." As such, the name essentially means "battle man" or "warrior."
The early appearances of the name Wichman can be traced back to the 8th and 9th centuries. Historical records reveal that the Wichmann family was part of the Saxon nobility, playing significant roles in regional conflicts and politics. One of the earliest notable figures bearing the surname was Wichmann the Elder, a Saxon count who lived in the 10th century. He was born around 900 and died in 944, making notable contributions to the historical narratives of the Saxon Wars.
Another prominent figure is Wichmann the Younger, also a 10th-century nobleman, born around 930 and known from historical texts until his death around 973. He was involved in various conflicts against Emperor Otto I and his brother Hermann Billung. The Wichmanns during this period were influential in the power dynamics of the Holy Roman Empire and often mentioned in chronicles and charters.
In manuscripts and records of the 12th and 13th centuries, the name Wichman appears in various forms such as Wichmannus and Wicmannus. These documents include land grants, legal documents, and ecclesiastical records. The chronicles of Abbeys and the annals of the Holy Roman Empire frequently mentioned the Wichmann family, attesting to their enduring legacy.
By the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Wichman began to spread to other regions, including parts of what are now the Netherlands and Belgium. This dissemination often resulted in slight variations in the spelling of the name, reflecting local dialectical influences. Different branches of the Wichman family established themselves in various parts of Europe, continuing to hold positions of influence and power.
Among the famous Wichmans of later centuries was Johann Wichman, a notable German humanist and educator born in 1495 and dying in 1563. Johann contributed significantly to the educational reforms of the Reformation era, leaving a lasting impact on the academic landscape of his time.
In conclusion, the Wichman surname is deeply rooted in the Germanic noble lineage, with its origins in warrior societies. Throughout history, it has been borne by individuals who played pivotal roles in regional and political developments, contributing to the rich tapestry of European history. Each notable Wichman over the centuries has added to the historical and cultural significance of this distinguished surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wichman
Among Census respondents with the surname Wichman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Wichman 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 Wichman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.4% · 2,022
- Two or more races3.4% · 74
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 10
- Black or African American0.3% · 7
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wichman
Wichman 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
#19,229
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,411
-830 bearers (-37.0%)
Per 100,000 0.48
Rank movement Down 6,572 places
2020
#13,326
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,189
+778 bearers (+55.1%)
Per 100,000 0.73
Rank movement Up 5,903 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,657 | 2,241 | 0.83 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #19,229 | 1,411 | 0.48 | -830 bearers (-37.0%) | Down 6,572 places |
| 2020 | #13,326 | 2,189 | 0.73 | +778 bearers (+55.1%) | Up 5,903 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 Wichman 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 | #19,229 | #13,326 | 30.7% |
| Count | 1,411 | 2,189 | 55.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.48 | 0.73 | 52.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wichman bearers went from 1,411 to 2,189 (+55.1% change). The surname moved up 5,903 positions in the national ranking, going from #19,229 to #13,326.
FAQ
Wichman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wichman?
Name Census estimates that about 2,510 living Americans carry the surname Wichman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 136,556 residents.
How common is Wichman?
Wichman ranks #13,326 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.73 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 2,189 people with the surname Wichman. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,510), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.73 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.73 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 Wichman.
Has Wichman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wichman went from 1,411 recorded bearers to 2,189. That is an increase of 778 (+55.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #19,229 to #13,326.
What does the Census say about the background of Wichman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wichman, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Wichman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.4% (2,022 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wichman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.4%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Hispanic (2.3%). 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 Wichman (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 Wichman mean?
A locational surname derived from the place name Wijchen in the Netherlands. 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 Wichman (0.73 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 have the last name Wichman?
See how many people have the surname Wichman on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.