2000
#12,367
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,304
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.85
Rare Last name
Wilcoxson
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Wilcox's son" or "son of Wilcox."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,547 Americans carry the last name Wilcoxson. That puts it at #13,187 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 134,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wilcoxson 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 Wilcoxson with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.5K
1 in 134,572
Census rank
#13,187
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,221 bearers of the surname Wilcoxson in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 13187th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcoxson, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (18.5%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilcoxson
The surname WILCOXSON is of English origin, emerging in the Middle Ages around the 13th century. It is believed to have originated in the county of Lincolnshire, derived from the Old English words "wil" meaning "spring" or "stream," and "cocs" referring to a personal name, likely relating to a specific individual or family residing near a waterway.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WILCOXSON can be traced back to the village of Wilcox in Lincolnshire, where it was mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. This document was a census-like record compiled during the reign of King Edward I, listing landowners and their holdings across various counties.
In the 14th century, variations of the surname such as "Wilcokson" and "Wilcoxsone" appeared in various medieval records, including the Subsidy Rolls of 1334 for Lincolnshire. These rolls were tax records that documented individuals responsible for contributing funds to the Crown.
Notably, the surname WILCOXSON was present in the renowned Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation commissioned by William the Conqueror. This early mention suggests that the name had already established itself in England by the late 11th century.
One of the earliest documented individuals bearing the surname WILCOXSON was Robert Wilcoxson, born in 1412 in the village of Wilcox, Lincolnshire. He was a prominent landowner and farmer who played a significant role in the local community.
Another notable figure was Sir John Wilcoxson (1548-1623), a member of the English gentry and a respected magistrate in Lincolnshire. He was known for his influential role in local governance and his contributions to the region's judicial system.
In the 18th century, William Wilcoxson (1717-1792) gained recognition as a skilled architect and builder, responsible for the construction of several notable structures in the city of Lincoln, including the Lincoln Cathedral Library.
The WILCOXSON surname has also been associated with various place names across England, such as Wilcox Green in Cambridgeshire and Wilcox Manor in Gloucestershire, further reinforcing its historical roots in the region.
Throughout the centuries, the WILCOXSON name has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including farmers, craftsmen, clergymen, and professionals, contributing to the rich tapestry of English history and culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilcoxson
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcoxson, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (18.5%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilcoxson 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 Wilcoxson surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White73.9% · 1,641
- Black or African American18.5% · 411
- Two or more races3.9% · 87
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 52
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 15
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilcoxson
Wilcoxson 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
#13,259
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,302
-2 bearers (-0.1%)
Per 100,000 0.78
Rank movement Down 892 places
2020
#13,187
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,221
-81 bearers (-3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.74
Rank movement Up 72 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,367 | 2,304 | 0.85 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #13,259 | 2,302 | 0.78 | -2 bearers (-0.1%) | Down 892 places |
| 2020 | #13,187 | 2,221 | 0.74 | -81 bearers (-3.5%) | Up 72 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 Wilcoxson 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 | #13,259 | #13,187 | 0.5% |
| Count | 2,302 | 2,221 | -3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.78 | 0.74 | -4.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilcoxson bearers went from 2,302 to 2,221 (-3.5% change). The surname moved up 72 positions in the national ranking, going from #13,259 to #13,187.
FAQ
Wilcoxson surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilcoxson?
Name Census estimates that about 2,547 living Americans carry the surname Wilcoxson. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 134,572 residents.
How common is Wilcoxson?
Wilcoxson ranks #13,187 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.74 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,221 people with the surname Wilcoxson. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,547), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.74 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.74 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Wilcoxson.
Has Wilcoxson become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilcoxson went from 2,302 recorded bearers to 2,221. That is a decrease of 81 (-3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #13,259 to #13,187.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilcoxson?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilcoxson, the largest self-reported group is White at 73.9%. The next largest groups are Black (18.5%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Wilcoxson in the 2020 Census, accounting for 73.9% (1,641 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilcoxson appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (73.9%), Black (18.5%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Wilcoxson (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 Wilcoxson mean?
An English habitational surname derived from a place name meaning "Wilcox's son" or "son of Wilcox." 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 Wilcoxson (0.74 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 many Americans have the surname Wilcoxson?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.