2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wijas
A Polish surname derived from the Slavic word "vjaz" meaning "elm tree".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 117 Americans carry the last name Wijas. That puts it at #154,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,929,524 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wijas 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
117
1 in 2,929,524
Census rank
#154,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
102
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 102 bearers of the surname Wijas in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wijas, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wijas
The surname Wijas is believed to have its origins in Poland, emerging during the medieval period. The name is thought to be regional, primarily associated with areas in present-day southern Poland, including Lesser Poland and Silesia. It likely derives from an old Slavic term or might have Germanic influences due to the historical interactions between these regions. Quite possibly, the name stems from an occupational or descriptive word in Old Polish.
Historical references to the surname Wijas can be found in various medieval municipal records and legal documents, indicating the presence of families bearing this name. Although it is not commonly found in widely known manuscripts such as the Domesday Book, which pertains to England, the surname likely appeared in regional chronicles and land records within Poland.
The earliest recorded example of the surname Wijas dates back to the 15th century. A Jan Wijas is mentioned in documents from Kraków in 1465, found in civic and church records of the time, suggesting that the family may have been involved in local trade or administration. Another early instance is related to Piotr Wijas, a minor nobleman whose name appears in various 16th-century court records concerning land disputes in Lesser Poland.
In the 17th century, the name reappears with Michał Wijas, a soldier in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, who fought in the wars against the Ottoman Empire and served with distinction. His achievements in battle are documented in military archives, dating around 1683, likely involved in the Battle of Vienna.
In more recent historical context, Józef Wijas, born in 1865 and died in 1923, was an influential figure in the independence movement in Poland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was known for his participation in several uprisings against foreign rule and for his efforts in organizing local militia units.
Another significant individual was Maria Wijas, born in 1892, who was known for her contributions to Polish literature and poetry. Her works, which addressed themes of national identity and social justice, were well-regarded during the interwar period.
Lastly, one modern example worth mentioning is Adam Wijas, a prominent figure in the Polish political scene during the 1980s. Born in 1950, he played a critical role in the Solidarity movement, advocating for democratic reforms and workers' rights. His involvement in the anti-communist activities had lasting impacts on Poland's transition to democracy.
The surname Wijas, while relatively infrequent, holds a rich historical background that reflects the varied and tumultuous history of the regions it is associated with. The individuals bearing this name have contributed significantly to their communities and the broader tapestry of Polish history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wijas
Among Census respondents with the surname Wijas, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wijas 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 Wijas surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White98.0% · 100
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wijas
Wijas 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
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,406 places
2020
#154,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
-10 bearers (-8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 7,502 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Down 3,406 places |
| 2020 | #154,755 | 102 | 0.03 | -10 bearers (-8.9%) | Down 7,502 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 Wijas 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 | #147,253 | #154,755 | -5.1% |
| Count | 112 | 102 | -8.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -14.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wijas bearers went from 112 to 102 (-8.9% change). The surname moved down 7,502 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #154,755.
FAQ
Wijas surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wijas?
Name Census estimates that about 117 living Americans carry the surname Wijas. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,929,524 residents.
How common is Wijas?
Wijas ranks #154,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 102 people with the surname Wijas. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (117), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Wijas.
Has Wijas become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wijas went from 112 recorded bearers to 102. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #154,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Wijas?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wijas, the largest self-reported group is White at 98.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Wijas in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.0% (100 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wijas appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (98.0%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Wijas (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 Wijas mean?
A Polish surname derived from the Slavic word "vjaz" meaning "elm tree". 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 Wijas (0.03 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 Wijas?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.