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

Wilker, 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 Wilker surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilker in America

Wilker is the 18757th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilker surname appeared 1,462 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 Wilker.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilker 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 Wilker

The surname Wilker is believed to have its origins in Germany. This name is thought to date back to the medieval period and is associated with the regions of Saxony and other parts of central Germany. The name may have originally been derived from the old Germanic personal name Wilkher, which itself is composed of the elements "wil," meaning "will" or "desire," and "heri," meaning "army." This suggests that the name might have initially been used to describe someone who was determined or resolute in military contexts.

Old records indicate that variations of the surname Wilker appear in medieval manuscripts and documents. For instance, a reference to a "Wylkere" can be found in documents from the 13th century in Saxony. Over time, the name underwent slight variances in spelling due to regional dialects and the evolution of language, resulting in versions like Wilkher and Wilkur.

The earliest recorded instance of the Wilker surname is found in a 14th-century document from the region surrounding Leipzig, Germany. Additionally, the name appeared in tax records and property documents in the 15th century. These records often provide insight into the socioeconomic status of families bearing the Wilker name, indicating that they were likely landowners or involved in local governance.

Several notable individuals have carried the surname Wilker. One of the earliest notable figures is Hans Wilker, born in 1514 in Leipzig, who was known for his involvement in regional trade and commerce. Another prominent figure is Johann Wilker (1568-1631), a respected scholar and clergyman in Saxony, who contributed to theological debates of his time. In the 18th century, Friedrich Wilker (1721-1795) served as an advisor to the Elector of Saxony, highlighting the family's continued influence in regional politics.

In later centuries, the name Wilker continued to appear in various regions. Karl Heinrich Wilker (1789-1863), a well-known writer and poet, hailed from Berlin and contributed to German literature. In the 19th century, Max Wilker (1832-1898) emerged as a distinguished military officer in the Prussian Army, further cementing the significance of the Wilker name in German history.

The surname Wilker, while primarily rooted in German origins, also saw migration and adoption in other countries, particularly in America during the 19th and early 20th centuries. This migration led to the dissemination of the Wilker name beyond its initial geographic confines. Despite these migrations, the surname retains strong connections to its Germanic roots and carries a rich historical legacy that is reflected in its notable bearers and documented records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilker

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

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

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

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