2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wilgers
A surname likely derived from the German "Wilgers" meaning "willow tree" or "willow forest".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wilgers. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wilgers 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.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Wilgers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilgers, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilgers
The surname Wilgers is believed to have originated from Germany during the Middle Ages. The earliest references to this surname can be traced back to the Rhineland, a region that has historically been significant for its cultural and economic activities. The name is likely derived from Old High German or Middle High German origins, specifically from the word "wilger," which refers to a willow tree. This suggests that the original bearers of the surname may have lived near willow groves or worked with willow wood.
One of the earliest historical references to the surname Wilgers appears in a 13th-century Rhineland manuscript. In this document, a certain Johannes Wilgers is mentioned as a witness in a legal matter. This reference not only helps in dating the surname but also provides an insight into its geographical roots within the Rhineland region.
The spelling of the name has seen variations over the centuries. Early records from the 14th and 15th centuries show variations such as Wilgar, Wilgertz, and Wilgerss. These changes in spelling often depended on the phonetic interpretations of scribes and local dialects. In a 14th-century tax record from Cologne, the name Henricus Wilgar is found, indicating the prominence of the name in this significant German city.
In the 16th century, records show a Martin Wilgers, born in 1523, who was notable for being a scholar at the University of Heidelberg. His academic contributions to philosophy and theology are well-documented, making him a renowned figure of his time. Martin Wilgers' works were circulated widely, indicating the surname's association with intellectual pursuits.
Another notable figure bearing this surname is Carl Wilgers, an 18th-century merchant from Frankfurt, born in 1710. His enterprises in trading, particularly in textiles, were well-recognized, and he played a key role in the economic development of the region. His business ledgers, preserved in local archives, offer a treasure trove of information about commercial practices in that era.
In the 19th century, the name Wilgers appears in the context of European migration. Johann Wilgers, born in 1842, migrated to the United States and settled in Ohio. He became known for his contributions to the local German-American community, helping to establish cultural institutions that preserved German heritage abroad.
A more recent historical figure is Erik Wilgers, an influential political figure in early 20th-century Germany, born in 1897. His involvement in the Weimar Republic's politics and later roles in local governments highlight the surname's ongoing historical significance.
The legacy of the Wilgers surname spans several centuries and regions, primarily rooted in Germanic lands. From legal witnesses and scholars to merchants and migrants, individuals bearing this surname have made significant contributions to their respective fields, painting a rich tapestry of history associated with the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilgers
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilgers, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilgers 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 Wilgers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.0% · 101
- Two or more races5.4% · 6
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilgers
Wilgers 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
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,999 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 9,999 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 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 Wilgers 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 | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilgers bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wilgers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilgers?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wilgers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wilgers?
Wilgers ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Wilgers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Wilgers.
Has Wilgers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilgers went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilgers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilgers, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.0%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.4%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Wilgers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.0% (101 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilgers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.0%), Two or More Races (5.4%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Wilgers (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 Wilgers mean?
A surname likely derived from the German "Wilgers" meaning "willow tree" or "willow forest". 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 Wilgers (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 common is the surname Wilgers?
See how many people have the last name Wilgers on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.