2000
#134,929
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wildish
A surname describing someone who lived in or near the wilderness.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Wildish. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wildish 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 Wildish with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Wildish in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wildish
The surname Wildish is of English origin, appearing primarily in the southeastern counties of England. The name likely dates back to the medieval period and is thought to be derived from the Old English words "wild" and "isc," which together might suggest a meaning related to wildness or a person who dwelled in or near wild places such as forests or uncultivated lands. This etymology places the surname in a similar category to other nature-related surnames that were common in England during the medieval period.
The earliest records of the surname Wildish can be traced to the 14th century. Historical documents such as manorial rolls and tax records from the counties of Kent and Sussex feature early versions and spellings of the name. One of the earliest recorded instances appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Kent in 1334, where a John Wildysh is mentioned. Similarly, in Sussex, a record from 1379 lists a Richard Wyldysch, indicating the name's presence in these regions for several centuries.
Throughout history, the name Wildish appears in various official and church records. For example, the parish registers of Kent from the late 16th century mention a William Wildish, born around 1575, who was a prosperous yeoman. Another mention is of Thomas Wildish, a landholder documented in the 1620 visitation of Kent. The stability and prominence of the name during these periods highlight its affixed status within the local gentry.
In terms of place names, the surname Wildish itself does not directly correlate to any specific geographic location but is instead descriptive. Place names with similar roots can be found in areas known for their wildlands and forests. These geographic associations further substantiate the etymological roots of the name.
Several individuals bearing the surname Wildish have made notable contributions to various fields. Among them is James Wildish, a merchant from London in the late 17th century, who was known for his involvement in early transatlantic trade. Another significant figure is Samuel Wildish, born in 1799, who became a prominent figure in the development of local infrastructure in Kent. Anne Wildish, a renowned botanist in the early 19th century, contributed extensively to the study of English flora and was born in 1804. In the realm of academia, Edward Wildish, an Oxford scholar born in 1867, published several treatises on medieval English literature. Lastly, Harold Wildish, born in 1891, was recognized for his advancements in agricultural techniques during the early 20th century.
The surname Wildish has a rich history rooted in the English medieval period. Its associations with natural landscapes and notable individuals through the centuries highlight the enduring legacy of this distinctive name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wildish
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wildish 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 Wildish surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White93.3% · 111
- Two or more races4.2% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wildish
Wildish 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,523 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+10 bearers (+9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 7,664 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #134,929 | 115 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 15,523 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +10 bearers (+9.2%) | Up 7,664 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 Wildish 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 | #150,452 | #142,788 | 5.1% |
| Count | 109 | 119 | 9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wildish bearers went from 109 to 119 (+9.2% change). The surname moved up 7,664 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #142,788.
FAQ
Wildish surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wildish?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Wildish. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Wildish?
Wildish ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Wildish. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Wildish.
Has Wildish become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wildish went from 109 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 10 (+9.2%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Wildish?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wildish, the largest self-reported group is White at 93.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.2%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Wildish in the 2020 Census, accounting for 93.3% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wildish appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (93.3%), Two or More Races (4.2%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Wildish (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 Wildish mean?
A surname describing someone who lived in or near the wilderness. 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 Wildish (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 many Americans have the surname Wildish?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.