Wikoff last name popularity, history, and meaning

Find out how popular the last name Wikoff is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wikoff.

Meaning of Wikoff

A Dutch-origin surname derived from the Dutch place name "Wijkhuizen".

Wikoff, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wikoff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wikoff in America

Wikoff is the 25684th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wikoff surname appeared 960 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wikoff.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wikoff to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 25684 25169 2.03%
Count 960 924 3.82%
Proportion per 100k 0.33 0.34 -2.99%

The history of the last name Wikoff

The surname Wikoff is rooted in Dutch and German origins, tracing back to the Netherlands and Germany in the early medieval period. The name likely originates from areas within these countries, such as Holland in the Netherlands or regions of Germany where similar Germanic names were common. The surname can be linked to old words signifying geographical or topographical features, such as wic, meaning settlement or village, combined with hof, translating to farm or courtyard.

Early instances of the name can be found in various historical documents and manuscripts. For example, records from Dutch archives dating back to the 14th and 15th centuries reveal individuals bearing variations of the surname, such as Wykhof and Wickhof. In some instances, the name was recorded in property transactions or local governmental documents, indicating the family's involvement in agriculture or local governance.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname is Jan Wikoff, who appeared in Dutch records in the late 1500s or early 1600s. Another historical reference points to Cornelius Wikoff, born around 1625, who emigrated from the Netherlands to New Amsterdam (present-day New York City) in the mid-17th century. This migration marks the introduction of the surname into the American colonies.

Further historical analysis reveals that Albertus Wikoff, born in New York in 1699, continued the lineage established by Cornelius. Albertus played a significant role in local Dutch communities, maintaining the cultural and linguistic ties to their European roots. As the family spread across America, the surname variations occasionally included Wyckoff, reflecting phonetic pronunciations and regional influences.

Several notable individuals bear the surname Wikoff throughout history. John Whitehead Wikoff, born in 1812 in Pennsylvania, was a prominent American businessman known for his engagement in the early railroad industry. Another figure, Mary Wikoff Haines, born in 1854, gained recognition as a leading suffragette and advocate for women's rights in the late 19th century. Also, in the 20th century, George Wikoff, born in 1901 in Ohio, contributed significantly to the field of agricultural science, particularly in the development of crop rotation techniques.

During the American Civil War, Colonel William Wikoff, born around 1820, served the Union Army with distinction, leading several regiments and participating in key battles. His service exemplifies the family's ongoing engagement in American societal developments.

The surname Wikoff, with its rich history of Dutch and German origins, provides a fascinating glimpse into the migration patterns, cultural integration, and societal contributions of those who carried the name from the medieval period to modern times. Through historical records and notable figures, the legacy of the Wikoff surname continues to be appreciated today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wikoff

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wikoff.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

  1. White only
  2. Black only
  3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
  4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
  5. Hispanic
  6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wikoff was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 94.69% 909
Non-Hispanic Black Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.94% 9
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 0.83% 8
Hispanic Origin 2.60% 25

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wikoff has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 94.69% 96.65% -2.05%
Black (S)% (S)% (S)%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.94% 0.65% 36.48%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races 0.83% 1.08% -26.18%
Hispanic 2.60% 1.41% 59.35%

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wikoff was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wikoff, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Wikoff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on November 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wikoff-surname-popularity/.

"Wikoff last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wikoff-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 November, 2024

Wikoff last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wikoff-surname-popularity/.

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