2010
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wilcenski
A Polish surname possibly originating from a place name or referring to someone from the Vilnius region.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Wilcenski. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wilcenski 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.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Wilcenski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcenski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilcenski
The surname Wilcenski originates from Poland, a country with a rich history of name etymology that dates back several centuries. The name is most likely derived from a place name or geographical location, as was common in Polish surnames. It is believed to have emerged during the Middle Ages, perhaps around the 14th or 15th century, when surnames began to be more commonly used in Poland.
The root of the name Wilcenski is thought to be associated with the Polish word wilk, which means wolf. This suggests that the original bearers of the name might have been connected to areas known for their wolf populations or might have been seen as having some characteristic attributed to wolves. The suffix -ski is a common ending in Polish surnames, usually indicating a connection to a place or a geographical feature.
Historical records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, which spanned from the 16th to the 18th century, sometimes feature the name Wilcenski in various documents, including land records and nobility registries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in a land grant dated 1578, where Jan Wilcenski is mentioned as a landowner in the Masovian region.
By the 17th century, the name Wilcenski can be found more frequently in historical records. For example, a notable individual from this period is Pawel Wilcenski, who was mentioned in military records as a captain serving in the Polish-Lithuanian army during the wars with the Ottoman Empire around 1621. His leadership and bravery were noted in several military campaigns.
In addition, in the late 18th century, during the turbulent times of the partitions of Poland, another prominent figure bearing this surname was Aleksander Wilcenski, a nobleman known for his involvement in various patriotic activities and his support for the Kościuszko Uprising in 1794. His efforts to restore Poland's independence were well-documented in contemporary accounts.
Moving into the 19th century, Andrzej Wilcenski emerged as a significant name in the realm of Polish literature. Born in 1809 and passing away in 1873, he was an author and poet who contributed to the nationalistic movement through his writings, which often reflected the struggles and aspirations of the Polish people during a time of foreign occupation.
By the early 20th century, the name Wilcenski had spread beyond Poland's borders. One notable individual from this period was Helena Wilcenski, a prominent Polish-American activist born in 1885. She was known for her work in the Polish community in Chicago, advocating for the rights of immigrants and promoting Polish culture and heritage in the United States.
Over the centuries, the surname Wilcenski has been associated with various regions, individuals, and historical events, illustrating its deep roots and evolving legacy in Polish history. The name continues to be a reminder of the cultural and historical heritage of Poland and its people.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilcenski
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcenski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilcenski 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 Wilcenski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino6.4% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.7% · 3
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilcenski
Wilcenski appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 51 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 51 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 Wilcenski 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 | #149,395 | #149,446 | -0.0% |
| Count | 110 | 110 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilcenski bearers went from 110 to 110 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 51 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #149,446.
FAQ
Wilcenski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilcenski?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Wilcenski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Wilcenski?
Wilcenski ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Wilcenski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wilcenski.
Has Wilcenski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilcenski went from 110 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilcenski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcenski, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Wilcenski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilcenski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Hispanic (6.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.7%). 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 Wilcenski (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 Wilcenski mean?
A Polish surname possibly originating from a place name or referring to someone from the Vilnius region. 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 Wilcenski (0.04 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 Wilcenski?
Find out how common the surname Wilcenski is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.