2000
#143,847
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wilmsmeyer
A German surname derived from a combination of a personal name and "Meyer" meaning a landowner or farmer.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wilmsmeyer. 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 Wilmsmeyer 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 Wilmsmeyer 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 Wilmsmeyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wilmsmeyer
The surname Wilmsmeyer originates from Germany, specifically from regions known today as North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony. This surname likely emerged during the medieval period, approximately between the 12th and 14th centuries, when family names became more common in Europe. The name is a compound of two German words: Wilms and Meyer. "Wilms" is a patronymic form derived from Wilhelm, a Germanic given name meaning "resolute protector." "Meyer" is an occupational name, derived from the Middle High German word meier, meaning a steward or overseer of land.
Historical references to the surname Wilmsmeyer are sparse but significant, suggesting its origin in areas with a rich agricultural history. Old manuscripts and local records from the 15th and 16th centuries show variations such as Wilmesmeyer or Wilmmerales as the surname evolved. The earliest records mention a Johann Wilmsmeyer, born around 1450, who was a noted land steward in the region of Münster.
Notable figures with the surname include Heinrich Wilmsmeyer, born in 1503 and documented in Hanseatic League merchant records. His involvement in trade between German towns and the Dutch lowlands contributed to the economic exchanges of that period. Another significant individual is Elisabeth Wilmsmeyer, born in 1642, who is referenced in church records as a midwife in Osnabrück, indicating the varied roles of those who bore the name.
In the 18th century, one of the prominent bearers was Friedrich Wilmsmeyer, born in 1733, who played a significant role during the Seven Years' War, serving as a logistics officer in the Prussian army. His military service is recorded in various military logs and letters from that period.
The 19th century saw the name spreading beyond Germany as people emigrated to North America. Albert Wilmsmeyer, born in 1821, was among the early settlers in Missouri, United States. He is on record as having established one of the first mixed farms in the area, contributing to local agricultural development.
The surname Wilmsmeyer persists through history not only as a marker of familial lineage but also as a testament to the agricultural and military history of regions in Germany. Each name bearer has added layers to its etymological and historical significance, ensuring its continued recognition.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wilmsmeyer
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilmsmeyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wilmsmeyer 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 Wilmsmeyer surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5% · 106
- Black or African American2.7% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino0.9% · 1
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wilmsmeyer
Wilmsmeyer 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+19 bearers (+17.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,135 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
-14 bearers (-11.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 13,953 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #143,847 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +19 bearers (+17.9%) | Up 9,135 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | -14 bearers (-11.2%) | Down 13,953 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 Wilmsmeyer 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 | #134,712 | #148,665 | -10.4% |
| Count | 125 | 111 | -11.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wilmsmeyer bearers went from 125 to 111 (-11.2% change). The surname moved down 13,953 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wilmsmeyer surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wilmsmeyer?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wilmsmeyer. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wilmsmeyer?
Wilmsmeyer 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 Wilmsmeyer. 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 Wilmsmeyer.
Has Wilmsmeyer become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wilmsmeyer went from 125 recorded bearers to 111. That is a decrease of 14 (-11.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wilmsmeyer?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wilmsmeyer, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Black (2.7%) and Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Wilmsmeyer in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (106 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wilmsmeyer appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.5%), Black (2.7%), Hispanic (0.9%). 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 Wilmsmeyer (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 Wilmsmeyer mean?
A German surname derived from a combination of a personal name and "Meyer" meaning a landowner or farmer. 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 Wilmsmeyer (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 Wilmsmeyer?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.