2000
#23,781
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 993
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.37
Rare Last name
Wickwire
A maker of wicks used in lamps and candles.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 1,155 Americans carry the last name Wickwire. That puts it at #25,659 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.34 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 296,757 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wickwire 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
1.2K
1 in 296,757
Census rank
#25,659
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.3
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,007 bearers of the surname Wickwire in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.34 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 25659th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wickwire, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wickwire
The surname Wickwire is of Anglo-Saxon origin, dating back to early Medieval England. The name originated from the Old English words "wic" meaning a settlement or village, and "wer" meaning a guard or watchman. Combined, the name Wickwire could refer to a person who was a guardian or a watchman of a settlement.
The Wickwire surname appears to have first been documented in the eastern counties of England, particularly in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. One of the earliest recorded spelling variations of the name appears as "Wickwer" in a 13th-century manuscript. Over time, local dialects and linguistic changes evolved the spelling into "Wickwire."
One of the first historical references to the name Wickwire appears in the Subsidy Rolls of England in 1327, where a "William Wickwer" is mentioned as a taxpayer in Suffolk. This record indicates the presence and economic contribution of an individual bearing this surname during that period.
By the 16th century, the Wickwire family name had proliferated throughout parts of East Anglia. A notable bearer was John Wickwire, born in 1590, who was known for his involvement in local governance in Suffolk. His records show participation in several legal and land ownership documents of the time.
During the 17th century, the Wickwire name began to appear in the New World, notably among early settlers in the American colonies. For instance, Judge John Wickwire (1634-1699) played a significant role in the early legal system of Connecticut and is well documented in colonial records.
Another prominent figure was Jonathan Wickwire, born in 1720, who was an influential businessman and landowner in Hartford, Connecticut. His legacy includes numerous land deeds and business holdings that are preserved in historical archives.
Revolutionary War records mention Elijah Wickwire (1753-1829), a soldier who served valiantly in the Continental Army. His military service is documented in several muster rolls and pension applications from the Revolutionary War era.
A significant 19th-century figure was Samuel G. Wickwire, born in 1830, who gained prominence as an industrialist in New York. He contributed to the development of ironworks and manufacturing sectors, a fact chronicled in economic history resources of the period.
Throughout its history, the Wickwire surname has been associated with various trades, governance roles, and military service, reflecting the diverse contributions of its bearers to society. These early records and historical figures provide a comprehensive understanding of the surname's rich heritage and enduring legacy.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wickwire
Among Census respondents with the surname Wickwire, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wickwire 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 Wickwire surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.4% · 900
- Two or more races5.5% · 55
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 35
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 9
- Black or African American0.6% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wickwire
Wickwire 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
#24,531
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,019
+26 bearers (+2.6%)
Per 100,000 0.35
Rank movement Down 750 places
2020
#25,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,007
-12 bearers (-1.2%)
Per 100,000 0.34
Rank movement Down 1,128 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #23,781 | 993 | 0.37 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #24,531 | 1,019 | 0.35 | +26 bearers (+2.6%) | Down 750 places |
| 2020 | #25,659 | 1,007 | 0.34 | -12 bearers (-1.2%) | Down 1,128 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 Wickwire 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 | #24,531 | #25,659 | -4.6% |
| Count | 1,019 | 1,007 | -1.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.35 | 0.34 | -3.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wickwire bearers went from 1,019 to 1,007 (-1.2% change). The surname moved down 1,128 positions in the national ranking, going from #24,531 to #25,659.
FAQ
Wickwire surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wickwire?
Name Census estimates that about 1,155 living Americans carry the surname Wickwire. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 296,757 residents.
How common is Wickwire?
Wickwire ranks #25,659 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.34 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 1,007 people with the surname Wickwire. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (1,155), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.34 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.34 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 Wickwire.
Has Wickwire become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wickwire went from 1,019 recorded bearers to 1,007. That is a decrease of 12 (-1.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #24,531 to #25,659.
What does the Census say about the background of Wickwire?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wickwire, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Wickwire in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.4% (900 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wickwire appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.4%), Two or More Races (5.5%), Hispanic (3.5%). 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 Wickwire (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 Wickwire mean?
A maker of wicks used in lamps and candles. 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 Wickwire (0.34 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 Wickwire?
For a quick modern take, check how common the surname Wickwire is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.