2000
#133,114
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wiemelt
A German occupational surname derived from the word "wiemen" meaning "to winnow grains".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 140 Americans carry the last name Wiemelt. That puts it at #140,525 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,448,245 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wiemelt 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
140
1 in 2,448,245
Census rank
#140,525
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
122
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 122 bearers of the surname Wiemelt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 140525th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiemelt, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wiemelt
The surname Wiemelt originates from Germany, specifically from regions within the historic Holy Roman Empire during the late medieval period. It is believed to have roots in the Low German dialects, which were spoken predominantly in northern Germany and the eastern part of the Netherlands. The name Wiemelt likely derives from a combination of old Germanic elements. 'Wie' might be a diminutive form of the name Wilhelm, deriving from the elements 'wil' meaning 'will or desire' and 'helm' meaning 'helmet or protection.' 'Melt' could be related to 'mild,' indicating a gentle nature or a pleasant disposition.
Historical records from the 14th and 15th centuries in regions such as Mecklenburg and Westphalia show variations of the name. Manuscripts from these periods indicate similar spellings like Wiemel and Wiemold appearing in local parish registers and civic documents. These documents, some preserved in regional archives, hint at the name's use among the lower nobility and affluent merchant families.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wiemelt occurs in a manuscript from 1456, in the city of Lübeck, where Heinrich Wiemelt is listed as a guild member. The Lübeck archives indicate his involvement in trade and shipping, a significant occupation in the Hanseatic League, suggesting the family's prominence in commerce.
Throughout the 16th century, the surname appears in various civic registries in Hamburg and Bremen, notable trading hubs of the era. For example, Johannes Wiemelt, born in 1522 and died in 1591, is documented as a prominent shipowner in Bremen. His contribution to the local economy through maritime trade is recorded in the Bremen city archives.
By the 17th century, members of the Wiemelt family had spread to various parts of northern Germany. One such figure, Maria Wiemelt (born 1634, died 1699), is noted in church records from Hanover for her philanthropic efforts, notably her support of local orphanages. Her name often appears in donation records preserved in the Hanoverian state archives.
In the early 18th century, the name appears again in historical records from the Palatinate region, specifically in tax rolls and land records. Friedrich Wiemelt, born 1708 and died 1756, is listed as a landowner and is known for his involvement in local civic matters.
Another historically significant figure is Karl Wiemelt, born 1783, died 1847, an academic and scholar in Göttingen. His contributions to early German education reform are recorded in university archives, indicating his influence on contemporary pedagogy.
The evolution of the surname Wiemelt over centuries is a testament to the family's integration into various social and economic spheres within German-speaking regions. Each recorded individual contributes to the rich tapestry of this surname's history, reflecting a legacy woven into the fabric of German heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wiemelt
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiemelt, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Wiemelt 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 Wiemelt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.4% · 120
- Hispanic or Latino1.6% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wiemelt
Wiemelt 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
#131,379
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
+12 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,735 places
2020
#140,525
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
-7 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,146 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #133,114 | 117 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #131,379 | 129 | 0.04 | +12 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 1,735 places |
| 2020 | #140,525 | 122 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 9,146 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 Wiemelt 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 | #131,379 | #140,525 | -7.0% |
| Count | 129 | 122 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 2.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wiemelt bearers went from 129 to 122 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 9,146 positions in the national ranking, going from #131,379 to #140,525.
FAQ
Wiemelt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wiemelt?
Name Census estimates that about 140 living Americans carry the surname Wiemelt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,448,245 residents.
How common is Wiemelt?
Wiemelt ranks #140,525 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 122 people with the surname Wiemelt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (140), 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 Wiemelt.
Has Wiemelt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wiemelt went from 129 recorded bearers to 122. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #131,379 to #140,525.
What does the Census say about the background of Wiemelt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiemelt, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.6%). 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 Wiemelt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.4% (120 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wiemelt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.4%), Hispanic (1.6%). 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 Wiemelt (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 Wiemelt mean?
A German occupational surname derived from the word "wiemen" meaning "to winnow grains". 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 Wiemelt (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 have the last name Wiemelt?
See how many people are called Wiemelt on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.