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

Wilfong, 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 Wilfong surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilfong in America

Wilfong is the 7584th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilfong surname appeared 4,382 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Wilfong.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilfong 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 Wilfong

The surname WILFONG is believed to have originated in Germany, with its earliest recorded use dating back to the 16th century. The name is derived from the German words "wilfen" and "fang," which translate to "wolf's den" or "wolf's lair." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to someone who lived near a wolf's den or a place associated with wolves.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the WILFONG name can be found in the town records of Heidelberg, Germany, from the year 1567. Here, a man named Johann WILFONG is listed as a resident of the town. It is believed that the name may have originated in this region or nearby areas of southwestern Germany.

As the WILFONG family grew and members migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas, the name underwent various spelling variations. Some of these include WILFANG, WILLFONG, and WILFUNG, reflecting regional dialects and pronunciations.

In the 18th century, a notable figure with the WILFONG surname was Johann Friedrich WILFONG (1720-1789), a German composer and organist who was employed at the court of Frederick the Great in Prussia.

Another historical figure bearing the WILFONG name was Wilhelm WILFONG (1832-1908), a German-American artist known for his landscapes and portraits. He immigrated to the United States in the mid-19th century and settled in Philadelphia, where he gained recognition for his artistic talents.

In the 19th century, a family by the name of WILFONG settled in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia, where they became prominent farmers and landowners. One member of this family, Jacob WILFONG (1815-1892), served as a lieutenant in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

Another notable WILFONG was Hans WILFONG (1876-1944), a German-born American architect who designed several prominent buildings in New York City, including the Manhattan Municipal Building and the New York County Courthouse.

Finally, in the early 20th century, there was a German-American writer and journalist named Hedwig WILFONG (1887-1965), who wrote several books and articles on topics related to German culture and history.

While the WILFONG name has its roots in Germany, it has since spread to various parts of the world, with families bearing this surname found in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, and others. However, its origins can be traced back to the wolf's dens and lairs of 16th-century Germany.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilfong

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

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

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

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