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

Wilborn, 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 Wilborn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilborn in America

Wilborn is the 7047th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilborn surname appeared 4,752 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Wilborn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilborn 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 Wilborn

The surname Wilborn is of English origin and dates back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "will" meaning "desire" or "will" and "burn" meaning "stream" or "brook." It is thought that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a stream or brook that was desired or wanted by the local population.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Wilborn can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from 1195, where a person named Wilburne is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century.

In the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms such as Willeburn, Willeburne, and Wylleborne, reflecting the variations in spelling that were common during that time period. Some of these variations may have been influenced by the Norman French language brought to England after the Norman Conquest.

The Wilborn surname is also associated with several place names in England, including Wilborne in Lincolnshire and Wilburton in Cambridgeshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English roots as the surname and may have contributed to its development.

Notable individuals with the Wilborn surname throughout history include Sir John Wilborn (c.1580-1647), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire during the reign of King Charles I. Another prominent figure was Thomas Wilborn (1604-1677), an English clergyman and academic who served as the Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge.

Other individuals of note include Richard Wilborn (1630-1703), a successful merchant and landowner in Virginia, USA, and Mary Wilborn (1775-1852), an American pioneer and one of the first settlers in what is now Kentucky.

In the late 19th century, John Wilborn (1865-1942), an English playwright and novelist, gained recognition for his works depicting life in rural England.

While the Wilborn surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through migration and immigration. However, its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the distinctive meaning of "desired stream" or "desired brook."

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilborn

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

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

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

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