2000
#139,757
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Willkie
A surname derived from the diminutive of William, meaning "resolute protector."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 115 Americans carry the last name Willkie. That puts it at #155,682 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,980,473 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Willkie 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
115
1 in 2,980,473
Census rank
#155,682
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
100
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 100 bearers of the surname Willkie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155682nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Willkie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Willkie
The surname Willkie is of Scottish origin, derived from the medieval given name William, which itself came from the Old Norman French name Williame. William became immensely popular across Europe following the Norman Conquest of 1066 and settled solidly in the British Isles. Willkie is a diminutive form of Wilkinson or Wilson, indicating "son of Will or William," often noted in variations such as Wilkie or Wilkey. The name spread from Lowland Scotland where it developed and became common throughout the centuries in regions like Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Fife.
Among historical references, the surname appears in Scottish records in the early Middle Ages. The first notable occurrence is Hugh Willkie, who was recorded in Lanarkshire in 1300. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, variants of the name are found in various documents, illustrating its steady use. For instance, a John Willke was documented in Fife in 1446.
The earliest spelling variants like Wilkie or Wilkey provide insight into the name's evolution. Historical records from medieval Scottish charters frequently show the name in transactions and legal contexts. In the 17th century, the name became slightly rarer, often appearing in parish registers as Willkye or Wilckie.
One prominent historical figure bearing the surname Willkie was Wendell Willkie (1892-1944), an American lawyer and corporate executive who ran as the Republican nominee for President of the United States in 1940. His impact on U.S. politics during World War II solidified the surname's recognition in modern history.
Another notable individual is William Wilkie (1721-1772), a Scottish poet and clergyman often dubbed "the Scottish Homer" for his poem The Epigoniad, published in 1757. This academic figure also contributed significantly to the cultural landscape of 18th-century Scotland.
A third figure, Sir David Wilkie (1785-1841), was a Scottish painter renowned for his genre scenes and portraits. Educated at Edinburgh, Wilkie's works are celebrated for their storytelling and realistic detail, with pieces like The Village Politicians establishing his reputation.
Colonel James Willkie (1850-1910) was a 19th-century British military officer who served in multiple campaigns throughout the British Empire. His career was marked by his roles in colonial administration and military leadership, reflecting the adventurous spirit often associated with the name.
Lastly, Catherine Willkie (1895-1975), a pioneering female physician in the early 20th century, contributed significantly to public health. Educated in Glasgow, she became one of the first women to practice medicine in Scotland and was instrumental in advancing women's roles in medical professions.
Thus, the surname Willkie reflects a diverse and influential heritage, with roots in medieval Scotland and a rich history of notable individuals contributing to various facets of society.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Willkie
Among Census respondents with the surname Willkie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Willkie 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 Willkie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.0% · 89
- Black or African American5.0% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Willkie
Willkie 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
+22 bearers (+20.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 10,710 places
2020
#155,682
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
-32 bearers (-24.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 26,635 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #139,757 | 110 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | +22 bearers (+20.0%) | Up 10,710 places |
| 2020 | #155,682 | 100 | 0.03 | -32 bearers (-24.2%) | Down 26,635 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 Willkie 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 | #129,047 | #155,682 | -20.6% |
| Count | 132 | 100 | -24.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -16.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Willkie bearers went from 132 to 100 (-24.2% change). The surname moved down 26,635 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #155,682.
FAQ
Willkie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Willkie?
Name Census estimates that about 115 living Americans carry the surname Willkie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,980,473 residents.
How common is Willkie?
Willkie ranks #155,682 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 100 people with the surname Willkie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (115), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Willkie.
Has Willkie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Willkie went from 132 recorded bearers to 100. That is a decrease of 32 (-24.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #155,682.
What does the Census say about the background of Willkie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Willkie, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.0%. The next largest groups are Black (5.0%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Willkie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.0% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Willkie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.0%), Black (5.0%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Willkie (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 Willkie mean?
A surname derived from the diminutive of William, 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 Willkie (0.03 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 people have the last name Willkie?
Want to know how many people are called Willkie? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.