2000
#3,210
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,210
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.78
Uncommon Last name
Wilde
An English surname derived from the Old English "wilde," meaning untamed, undomesticated, or uncivilized.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,169 Americans carry the last name Wilde. That puts it at #3,325 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.55 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,166 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wilde 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 Wilde with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 28,166
Census rank
#3,325
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,612 bearers of the surname Wilde in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.55 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3325th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilde, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilde
The surname Wilde originated in England during the Middle Ages. It derived from the Old English word "wilde", meaning wild, untamed, or uncultivated. The name likely referred to someone who lived in a remote or rural area, perhaps on the outskirts of a town or village.
The earliest recorded instances of the surname Wilde date back to the 13th century. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mention a Philip le Wilde from Oxfordshire. The name also appears in various medieval records and manuscripts, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1296, which list a John le Wilde.
In the 14th century, the surname Wilde began appearing in various spellings, including Wylde, Wilde, and Wyld. These variations reflect the inconsistencies in spelling and pronunciation common during that time period.
One of the earliest prominent individuals with the surname Wilde was Sir John Wilde (c. 1590-1669), an English lawyer and judge who served as Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer during the English Civil War.
Another notable figure was Jonathan Wilde (c. 1682-1725), a notorious English criminal and thieftaker who controlled a vast network of pickpockets and thieves in London. He was eventually hanged for his crimes.
In the 19th century, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) became one of the most famous individuals to bear the surname. The Irish poet, playwright, and novelist is renowned for his wit, flamboyant style, and works such as "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and "The Importance of Being Earnest".
Other notable individuals with the surname Wilde include:
1. Ralph Waldo Wilde (1889-1967), an American mathematician known for his contributions to the field of topology.
2. Cornel Wilde (1912-1989), an American actor, director, and producer best known for his roles in films like "The Greatest Show on Earth" and "The Naked Prey".
3. Marty Wilde (born 1939), an English singer-songwriter and father of pop stars Kim Wilde and Ricky Wilde.
4. Amy Wilde (born 1972), an American golfer who won the U.S. Women's Open in 2014.
5. Max Wilde (born 1990), a German professional soccer player who currently plays as a defender for VfL Bochum.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilde
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilde, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilde 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 Wilde surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.9% · 9,752
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 366
- Two or more races2.9% · 304
- Black or African American0.6% · 67
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 63
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.6% · 60
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilde
Wilde 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
#3,332
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,766
+556 bearers (+5.4%)
Per 100,000 3.65
Rank movement Down 122 places
2020
#3,325
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,612
-154 bearers (-1.4%)
Per 100,000 3.55
Rank movement Up 7 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,210 | 10,210 | 3.78 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,332 | 10,766 | 3.65 | +556 bearers (+5.4%) | Down 122 places |
| 2020 | #3,325 | 10,612 | 3.55 | -154 bearers (-1.4%) | Up 7 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 Wilde 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 | #3,332 | #3,325 | 0.2% |
| Count | 10,766 | 10,612 | -1.4% |
| Per 100K | 3.65 | 3.55 | -2.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilde bearers went from 10,766 to 10,612 (-1.4% change). The surname moved up 7 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,332 to #3,325.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Wilde
FAQ
Wilde surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilde?
Name Census estimates that about 12,169 living Americans carry the surname Wilde. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,166 residents.
How common is Wilde?
Wilde ranks #3,325 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.55 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,612 people with the surname Wilde. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (12,169), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.55 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.55 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Wilde.
Has Wilde become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilde went from 10,766 recorded bearers to 10,612. That is a decrease of 154 (-1.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #3,332 to #3,325.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilde?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilde, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.4%) and Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Wilde in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.9% (9,752 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilde appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.9%), Hispanic (3.4%), Two or More Races (2.9%). 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 Wilde (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 Wilde mean?
An English surname derived from the Old English "wilde," meaning untamed, undomesticated, or uncivilized. 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 Wilde (3.55 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 Wilde?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Wilde on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.