2000
#5,348
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,996
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.22
Rare Last name
Wilber
Derived from a place name meaning "willow tree hill" or "willow copse," referring to someone who lived near such a place.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,352 Americans carry the last name Wilber. That puts it at #5,983 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 53,960 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wilber 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wilber with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.4K
1 in 53,960
Census rank
#5,983
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,539 bearers of the surname Wilber in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5983rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilber, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilber
The surname WILBER is of English origin, with roots dating back to the medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English personal name Wilburh, which was composed of the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "burh" meaning "fortress" or "protection." This name likely referred to someone with a strong will or determination.
The earliest known recorded instances of the surname WILBER can be traced back to the 12th and 13th centuries in various regions of England, such as Essex, Suffolk, and Lincolnshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Wilbur, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1195.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, including Wilbur, Wilbore, and Wilbeer, reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common during that era. The name was also associated with several place names, such as Wilburgham in Cambridgeshire and Wilbrahams in Suffolk, suggesting that some bearers of the name may have originated from or been associated with these locations.
Notable individuals with the surname WILBER include John Wilbur (c. 1550-1616), an English clergyman and author who served as the Bishop of Gloucester. Another prominent figure was Samuel Wilbur (1679-1741), a Quaker minister and author from Rhode Island, who played a significant role in the early history of the Quaker movement in America.
In the 19th century, Wilber Wilbur (1819-1890) was a prominent American inventor and manufacturer, best known for his contributions to the development of the sewing machine. Additionally, Charles Wilber (1834-1922) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War, distinguishing himself in several battles and receiving the Medal of Honor for his bravery.
One of the most renowned individuals with the surname WILBER was Ray Wilbur (1875-1949), an American politician and academic who served as the 31st United States Secretary of the Interior under President Calvin Coolidge from 1924 to 1929.
While the surname WILBER is not among the most common in English-speaking countries, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilber
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilber, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilber 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 Wilber surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White86.0% · 4,761
- Two or more races4.9% · 270
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.5% · 196
- Hispanic or Latino3.1% · 170
- Black or African American2.1% · 116
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 26
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilber
Wilber 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
#5,642
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,155
+159 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 2.09
Rank movement Down 294 places
2020
#5,983
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,539
-616 bearers (-10.0%)
Per 100,000 1.85
Rank movement Down 341 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,348 | 5,996 | 2.22 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,642 | 6,155 | 2.09 | +159 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 294 places |
| 2020 | #5,983 | 5,539 | 1.85 | -616 bearers (-10.0%) | Down 341 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 Wilber 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 | #5,642 | #5,983 | -6.0% |
| Count | 6,155 | 5,539 | -10.0% |
| Per 100K | 2.09 | 1.85 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilber bearers went from 6,155 to 5,539 (-10.0% change). The surname moved down 341 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,642 to #5,983.
FAQ
Wilber surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilber?
Name Census estimates that about 6,352 living Americans carry the surname Wilber. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 53,960 residents.
How common is Wilber?
Wilber ranks #5,983 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.85 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,539 people with the surname Wilber. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,352), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.85 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.85 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Wilber.
Has Wilber become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilber went from 6,155 recorded bearers to 5,539. That is a decrease of 616 (-10.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,642 to #5,983.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilber?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilber, the largest self-reported group is White at 86.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.9%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Wilber in the 2020 Census, accounting for 86.0% (4,761 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilber appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (86.0%), Two or More Races (4.9%), American Indian/Alaska Native (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 Wilber (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 Wilber mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "willow tree hill" or "willow copse," referring to someone who lived near such a 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 Wilber (1.85 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 common is the surname Wilber?
Find out how many people have the surname Wilber on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.