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

Wilner, 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 Wilner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilner in America

Wilner is the 20961st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilner surname appeared 1,256 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wilner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilner 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 Wilner

The surname Wilner has its origins in Germany, specifically within the Ashkenazi Jewish community. The name is believed to derive from the German city of Wilna, known in Yiddish as Vilne and in modern-day as Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. This geographical linkage points to an origin period around the late medieval era to the early modern period, approximately the 15th to 17th centuries, when surnames were becoming more formalized in Jewish communities.

Wilner likely originates from the Yiddish expression "Vilne" to designate someone who hailed from this region. Jewish communities often adopted surnames that either reflected their place of origin or their occupation. In a broader sense, the etymology can be traced back to "Wilna" or "Vilnius," signifying residency or significant connection to the area. Historical spelling variants include Vilner or Villner, reflecting slight regional or dialectical differences.

The early use of the surname Wilner can be traced to community records in both Germany and Eastern Europe. One notable figure is Rabbi Yehuda Wilner, who lived in the 17th century and was documented in various community writings and letters, leaving a legacy in Jewish scholarly circles. Another early reference appears in marriage records and community registries in Vilnius and its surroundings during the 18th century.

Moshe Wilner, a prominent rabbinical figure from the 18th century, is another notable individual. He contributed to Jewish legal discourse and commentary on the Torah and Talmud, making significant impacts on the Jewish communities in Poland and Lithuania. His teachings and writings were influential, asserting the presence and relevance of the Wilner name in religious and scholarly contexts.

In the 19th century, Johann Wilhelm Wilner, a German composer born in 1820, became a well-known figure in the music scene in Berlin. He contributed to the Romantic era of classical music and had several published works that were performed in concert halls, marking the family's influence in the arts.

Moving into the early 20th century, Samuel Wilner, born in 1880, was a distinguished mathematician and educator who emigrated to the United States. He made significant contributions to the field of theoretical mathematics and was an esteemed professor at several universities. His work in developing mathematical models and theories garnered much respect in academic circles.

Another significant figure is Isaac Wilner, a Jewish political activist and writer born in 1895 in Vilnius. He was heavily involved in the Zionist movement and worked towards the establishment of a Jewish state. His writings and oratory skills were instrumental in gathering support and mobilizing efforts for Jewish self-determination during a tumultuous period in European history.

The history of the surname Wilner reflects a rich tapestry of cultural, academic, and religious contributions stemming from its Germanic and Ashkenazi Jewish origins. Through the centuries, individuals bearing the Wilner surname have made impactful contributions to their respective fields, preserving and enhancing the legacy of this distinguished name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilner

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

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

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

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