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

Wilgus, 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 Wilgus surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilgus in America

Wilgus is the 20697th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilgus surname appeared 1,278 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wilgus.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilgus 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 Wilgus

The surname Wilgus is believed to have origins in Germany and derived from the region of Lower Saxony. This area was historically significant in the medieval period, with many small townships and villages populating the landscape. The name Wilgus appears to come from early Middle High German or Old Low German roots, potentially connected to the word "Wil" or "Will", meaning "will" or "desire", and "Gus", possibly derived from the word "Ger", meaning "spear" or "host". Thus, the combination may originally have been indicative of a warrior or person with strong resolve.

The earliest references to the surname Wilgus are relatively scarce, but appearances in manorial rolls and local court documents from the 13th and 14th centuries in Lower Saxony provide evidence of the name’s historical usage. One of the oldest manuscripts to mention a variation of the name is a 1324 record from the town of Hanover, which listed a Wilgoz family.

In the late 15th century, records show the presence of a Johan Wilgus, born around 1470, who was a landholder in the village of Celle. Johan’s family, like many in the region, likely lived a rural life centered around agriculture and local trade. Early records present an alternative spelling, Wilgoz, which indicates phonetic spellings were commonly adapted over time.

The name crossed into what is now the United Kingdom during the 16th century, with one Edward Wilgus appearing in the London Parish records in 1581. Edward Wilgus, born in 1555, is noted for his role as a skilled cobbler, which reflects the movement of families to urban settings in search of economic opportunity.

During the 17th century, amidst waves of immigration, the name migrated to the New World. Records indicate a Peter Wilgus, born 1612, who settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony around 1635. Peter’s descendants played a role in the early development of colonies, commonly involved in trade and expansionary settlements.

In the 18th century, the name Wilgus continues to appear in American colonial records. One notable individual is James Wilgus, born in 1750, a farmer in Pennsylvania who eventually served in the American Revolutionary War. James Wilgus's military service is documented from 1776 to 1783, marking the family's deepening roots in the United States.

Throughout its evolution, the surname Wilgus has experienced various adaptations and spellings, reflecting the linguistic and migratory influences of the regions it touched. These historical traces provide a glimpse into the lives and contributions of individuals carrying the surname across centuries and continents.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilgus

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!