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

Wiles, 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 Wiles surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiles in America

Wiles is the 2754th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiles surname appeared 13,105 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Wiles.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiles 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 Wiles

The surname Wiles originated in England during the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from the Old English word "wil," meaning trick or stratagem. The name likely referred to someone who was considered cunning or deceitful.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Wiles dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Wilius." This suggests that the name was already in use by the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066.

In the 13th century, the name was found in various records as "Wile" and "Wyles." These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the lack of standardized spelling at the time.

One notable bearer of the Wiles surname was John Wiles, a 14th-century English landowner from Gloucestershire. He is mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of 1340 as holding lands in the village of Blockley.

During the 16th century, the name Wiles appeared in several parish records across England, including those of Wiltshire, Dorset, and Oxfordshire. One such record from 1567 mentions a William Wiles, who was born in the village of Broad Chalke, Wiltshire.

In the 17th century, the Wiles family had established a presence in the county of Warwickshire. Richard Wiles (1609-1681), a prominent member of the family, was a prosperous landowner and served as a Justice of the Peace.

Another notable figure with the Wiles surname was Sir John Wiles (1685-1761), a successful lawyer and judge who served as Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in England during the reign of King George II.

In the 19th century, the Wiles name continued to be found across various parts of England, with concentrations in counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Warwickshire. One such individual was William Wiles (1811-1891), a renowned English architect who designed several notable buildings in London.

Throughout its history, the Wiles surname has been associated with various locations in England, including the village of Willey in Warwickshire, which may have influenced some variations of the name's spelling.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiles

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

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

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

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