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

Wilkey, 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 Wilkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilkey in America

Wilkey is the 7909th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilkey surname appeared 4,183 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 Wilkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilkey 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 Wilkey

The surname WILKEY is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "wīlic," which translates to "willow tree." This suggests that the earliest bearers of this surname likely lived near a willow tree or in an area abundant with willows.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name WILKEY dates back to the late 12th century, appearing in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1193 as "Wyllicus de Haliwell." This entry indicates that the name was already well-established in Yorkshire at that time.

In the 13th century, the WILKEY surname can be found in various records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of Northamptonshire in 1212, where it appears as "Wylekyn de Wollaston." This suggests that the name had spread to other parts of England by this time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the WILKEY surname was John Wilkey, who was born in Yorkshire in the late 14th century. He is mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1379.

In the 16th century, the WILKEY surname can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Mary Magdalene in Canterbury, Kent. The register of baptisms from 1558 includes the entry of "Alyce Wilkey, daughter of Thomas Wilkey."

A notable figure with the WILKEY surname was Sir Edward Wilkey, a prominent landowner and politician in Lincolnshire during the 17th century. He was born in 1620 and served as a Member of Parliament for Grantham from 1661 to 1679.

Another individual of note was William Wilkey, a renowned architect born in Gloucestershire in 1725. He is best known for designing several churches and public buildings in the Cotswolds region.

In the 19th century, the WILKEY surname was found in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Lincolnshire. One notable bearer was Robert Wilkey, a prominent industrialist from Bradford, Yorkshire, who was born in 1810 and made significant contributions to the textile industry.

The WILKEY surname has also been recorded in various ancient manuscripts and documents, such as the Domesday Book, the Hearth Tax Rolls, and parish registers throughout England, further solidifying its historical roots and significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilkey

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

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

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

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