2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Wilhem
A German surname derived from Wilhelm, meaning "resolute protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wilhem. 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 Wilhem 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 Wilhem 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 Wilhem, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilhem
The surname Wilhem has its origins in the Germanic regions of Europe, dating back to the medieval period. The name is a variant of the more common Wilhelm, which itself is derived from the Old High German name Wilahalm, composed of the elements "wil," meaning will or desire, and "helm," meaning helmet or protection. Such compound names were typical in the Germanic tradition, often reflecting attributes associated with strength, protection, and leadership.
Wilhem can trace its roots to areas that are now modern-day Germany, particularly in the regions of Bavaria and Saxony. Variations in spelling were common due to dialectical differences and the evolution of the language over time. The name appears in early records, including land grants and charters in the Holy Roman Empire, but there is limited consistency in spelling, as literacy rates at the time were low, and names were often recorded phonetically.
The earliest recorded example of the surname Wilhem appears in a 12th-century document from the Tübingen region, where a certain Conrad Wilhem is mentioned as a landowner. This record suggests that the surname was already well established by this period, linked to individuals of some social standing.
During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name Wilhem continued to appear in various feudal records and tax rolls throughout the Germanic lands. One notable mention is Heinrich Wilhem, born in 1239 and recorded as a knight in service to the Duke of Bavaria. His name appears in military muster rolls, indicating participation in several campaigns during the late 13th century.
By the 15th century, the surname had spread to other parts of European territories under Germanic influence. A significant figure bearing the name was Johann Wilhem, born in 1470, a scholar and theologian associated with the University of Leipzig. His contributions to religious discourse and academic writings were notable during the early years of the Protestant Reformation.
In the 16th century, another notable individual was Martin Wilhem, born in 1509 in what is today Baden-Württemberg. Martin distinguished himself as a merchant and later as an elected councilor in the city of Ulm. His business transactions and civic engagements were well-documented, providing insight into the economic and political landscape of the time.
By the 17th century, records of the surname Wilhem also appear in ecclesiastical and municipal archives in Alsace, a region that frequently changed hands between France and Germany. Philippe Wilhem, born in 1623, was a notable figure during this period. He served as a senior official in the administration of the Bishopric of Strasbourg and is remembered for his efforts in navigating the complexities of regional politics during the Thirty Years' War.
Throughout its history, the surname Wilhem has been borne by individuals across various strata of society, from knights and scholars to merchants and officials. Each instance of the name provides a glimpse into the social and historical contexts in which these individuals lived, reflecting the enduring legacy of this Germanic surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilhem
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilhem, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilhem 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 Wilhem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.1% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino10.8% · 12
- Two or more races4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilhem
Wilhem appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+9 bearers (+8.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,767 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.8%) | Up 9,767 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 Wilhem 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 | #158,432 | #148,665 | 6.2% |
| Count | 102 | 111 | 8.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 23.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilhem bearers went from 102 to 111 (+8.8% change). The surname moved up 9,767 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wilhem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilhem?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wilhem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wilhem?
Wilhem 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 Wilhem. 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 Wilhem.
Has Wilhem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilhem went from 102 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 9 (+8.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilhem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilhem, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (10.8%) and Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Wilhem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilhem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.1%), Hispanic (10.8%), Two or More Races (4.5%). 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 Wilhem (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 Wilhem mean?
A German surname derived from Wilhelm, meaning "resolute protector." 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 Wilhem (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 Wilhem?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.