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

Wilbon, 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 Wilbon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilbon in America

Wilbon is the 27604th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilbon surname appeared 872 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 Wilbon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilbon 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.

The history of the last name Wilbon

The surname Wilbon is of English origin, with its roots deeply planted in the medieval period. The name first appeared in areas of England known for their Anglo-Saxon settlements, particularly in the counties of Yorkshire and Lancashire. The earliest form of the name was thought to be derived from the Old English words "wil," meaning desire or will, and "bona," meaning slayer or warrior. It is likely that the name was initially used to describe a person with a strong will or a fierce warrior.

Early records that reference the surname Wilbon can be found in medieval manuscripts and charters, although it did not feature in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name starts appearing more frequently in parish records by the late 13th century. One of the earliest documented instances of the name was John Wilbon, listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379.

During the 15th and 16th centuries, the surname began to spread to other regions of England, with varied spellings such as Wilbone and Wilborn appearing in historical records. Church records, wills, and land grants from this period serve to illustrate the geographical spread and social standing of families bearing the name Wilbon. Notably, a Thomas Wilbon is recorded as a landholder in Lancashire in 1573.

As the centuries progressed, the name Wilbon started to appear in legal documents, such as contracts and court cases. By the 17th century, one finds records of a prominent lawyer, Richard Wilbon, who was born in 1624 and passed away in 1671. Richard Wilbon's career in law provided a degree of social elevation for the name, making it more notable in historical documents spanning legal and civil matters.

The 18th century saw the migration of individuals with the surname Wilbon to various parts of the British Empire. Samuel Wilbon, born in 1756, was a merchant who traveled extensively, contributing to the name's presence in trade and commerce records of the time.

By the 19th century, branches of the Wilbon family had settled in the United States. Among them was Helen Wilbon, born in 1823, who became a notable figure due to her philanthropic work. Helen's contributions to education and social causes during her lifetime until her death in 1898 were well-documented in American historical records.

The history of the surname Wilbon is marked by its early Anglo-Saxon roots, the evolution of its spelling, and its presence in various key historical records spanning centuries. Each of these elements highlights the name's enduring legacy and the notable individuals who have carried it through time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilbon

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

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 Wilbon was:

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 Wilbon has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Wilbon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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