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

Wilmore, 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 Wilmore surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilmore in America

Wilmore is the 12842nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilmore surname appeared 2,397 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 Wilmore.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilmore 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 Wilmore

The surname Wilmore has its origins in England, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from the place name Willmoor or Wilmoor, which referred to a settlement located on or near a moor or marshy area.

The name is thought to be a combination of the Old English words "willa" or "will," meaning willow, and "mor," meaning moor or marsh. This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name may have lived in an area characterized by willow trees and marshy terrain.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wilmore can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from the late 12th century, where it appears as "de Wilmor." This indicates that the name was in use by that time and likely originated in the region of Staffordshire.

In the 13th century, the name is documented in various forms, such as "Willemor," "Willemora," and "Wylmor," reflecting the variations in spelling and pronunciation common in medieval times.

Notable individuals with the surname Wilmore include:

1. Sir Robert Wilmore (c. 1585-1643), an English landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of King Charles I.
2. John Wilmore (c. 1610-1672), an English clergyman and Puritan divine who served as the Rector of Ringwood in Hampshire.
3. Elizabeth Wilmore (1696-1773), a prominent Quaker minister and author from Pennsylvania, known for her spiritual writings and travels.
4. William Wilmore (1749-1823), an English sculptor and engraver who worked in London and was celebrated for his portrait busts and monuments.
5. James Wilmore (1821-1896), an American businessman and philanthropist who founded Wilmore, Kentucky, and helped establish Asbury College (now Asbury University) in the town.

The name Wilmore has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Wilmore Green in Hertfordshire and Wilmore Hill in Herefordshire, further reinforcing its locational origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilmore

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

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

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

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