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

Wilburn, 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 Wilburn surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilburn in America

Wilburn is the 2428th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilburn surname appeared 14,928 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Wilburn.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilburn 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 Wilburn

The surname Wilburn is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "wille" meaning "will" or "desire," and "burna," meaning "stream" or "brook." This suggests that the name may have originated in an area near a stream or brook where the original bearer lived or worked.

The earliest recorded instances of the Wilburn surname can be traced back to the 13th century in various parts of England, such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. The name was likely associated with specific locations or places that have since been lost or absorbed into larger towns and cities.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Wilburn surname was William Wilburn, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1301. This record provides evidence of the name's existence during the medieval period in England.

In the 16th century, the Wilburn surname appeared in various historical records, including the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1548, which mentioned a John Wilburn. The Feet of Fines were legal documents that recorded land transfers and property transactions.

During the 17th century, the Wilburn surname gained prominence with notable individuals such as Richard Wilburn (1619-1685), an English clergyman and author who served as a chaplain to King Charles II. Another noteworthy figure was John Wilburn (1639-1713), an English mathematician and astronomer who contributed to the development of celestial mechanics.

In the 18th century, the Wilburn surname continued to be found in various parts of England. One notable bearer was Robert Wilburn (1721-1796), a British naval officer who served during the American Revolutionary War and rose to the rank of Admiral.

Throughout the 19th century, the Wilburn surname spread to other parts of the world as English immigrants settled in new territories. One prominent individual was Samuel Wilburn (1830-1905), an American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the Wilburn surname include Arthur Wilburn (1890-1967), an English cricketer who played for Middlesex County Cricket Club, and William Wilburn (1916-2001), an American author and journalist who wrote extensively about the Civil Rights Movement in the United States.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilburn

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

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

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

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