2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wienclaw
A Polish surname originating from a place name referring to someone from Wienclawa or a similar place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Wienclaw. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wienclaw 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Wienclaw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wienclaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wienclaw
The surname Wienclaw has its origins in Poland, known for being a country with rich linguistic history. It is believed to have emerged during the medieval period. The areas most closely associated with the name Wienclaw are in the regions of Greater Poland (Wielkopolska) and Masovia (Mazowsze), which were significant during Poland's formative years.
The name Wienclaw likely derives from an old Polish word or a combination of words. While the exact etymological components remain uncertain, it could potentially be linked to the Polish given name Wincenty, which itself comes from the Latin Vincentius meaning "conquering" or "prevailing." The suffix -law, often found in Slavic surnames, could be derived from "slawa" meaning "glory" or "fame." Thus, Wienclaw might loosely translate into something akin to "glorious conqueror."
Historical references to the surname Wienclaw can be found as early as the 15th and 16th centuries in various Polish legal documents and church records. Unlike the famous Domesday Book of England, Poland's medieval documentation is more decentralized but still substantial. One example includes a record from 1578 detailing a land agreement in the region of Poznań involving a Michał Wienclaw.
The earliest recorded example of the surname appears in a document from 1432, where a Jan Wienclaw is listed as a witness in a court proceeding in the town of Sandomierz. Variants of the name, like Wienclawczyk or Wienclawski, also appear sporadically in historical records, indicating the surname's adaptation and localization over time.
Another notable individual is Stanisław Wienclaw, born in 1654, a minor noble who participated in the local council (Sejmik) meetings in the Masovian Voivodeship. His contributions to local governance and economics were documented, making him a figure of some regional importance.
During the 18th century, a Franciszek Wienclaw (1723-1789) is mentioned in relation to the Confederation of Bar, a Polish nationalist movement. His involvement in the efforts to maintain Polish independence from foreign influence marks him as a person of historical significance.
The 19th century saw Janina Wienclaw (1856-1912), a notable educator and philanthropist in Kraków. She contributed to the founding of several schools and orphanages, leaving a lasting legacy in the field of Polish education and social work.
In more recent history, Kazimierz Wienclaw (1898-1944) was involved in the Polish underground resistance during World War II. His efforts in the Warsaw Uprising underscored the family's continued prominence in Polish socio-political life.
Overall, the surname Wienclaw carries a deep historical and cultural significance in Poland, with roots tracing back to the medieval era and continuity through various important historical periods.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wienclaw
Among Census respondents with the surname Wienclaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Wienclaw 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 Wienclaw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White85.2% · 92
- American Indian and Alaska Native6.5% · 7
- Two or more races4.6% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino2.8% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wienclaw
Wienclaw 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-4 bearers (-3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 14,804 places
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+7 bearers (+6.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 8,777 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.8%) | Down 14,804 places |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +7 bearers (+6.9%) | Up 8,777 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 Wienclaw 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 | #159,712 | #150,935 | 5.5% |
| Count | 101 | 108 | 6.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 20.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wienclaw bearers went from 101 to 108 (+6.9% change). The surname moved up 8,777 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #150,935.
FAQ
Wienclaw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wienclaw?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Wienclaw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Wienclaw?
Wienclaw ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Wienclaw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Wienclaw.
Has Wienclaw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wienclaw went from 101 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 7 (+6.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Wienclaw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wienclaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 85.2%. The next largest groups are American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Wienclaw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 85.2% (92 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wienclaw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (85.2%), American Indian/Alaska Native (6.5%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Wienclaw (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 Wienclaw mean?
A Polish surname originating from a place name referring to someone from Wienclawa or a similar place. 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 Wienclaw (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 Americans have the surname Wienclaw?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.