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

Wilt, 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 Wilt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wilt in America

Wilt is the 4348th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wilt surname appeared 8,165 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Wilt.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wilt 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 Wilt

The surname WILT is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "wilte", meaning "to wilt or droop". The name was likely initially used as a nickname for someone with a drooping or wilted appearance or demeanor.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WILT appears in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1199, where a certain Reginald Wilt is mentioned. The name is also found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, referencing a John Wilt.

During the medieval period, the WILT surname was primarily concentrated in the counties of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire in southern England. Variations in spelling included Wilte, Wylte, and Wyltt.

In the 16th century, the WILT surname can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Mary's in Bisley, Gloucestershire. Notable individuals with this surname from that period include John Wilt (born around 1520) and his son, William Wilt (born circa 1550).

The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and property compiled in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the WILT surname, suggesting that the name emerged later in the 12th or 13th centuries.

One notable figure with the WILT surname was Sir Thomas Wilt (1585-1662), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Tamworth during the reign of King Charles I.

Another historical figure was Captain John Wilt (1628-1701), an English sailor who served in the Royal Navy and was known for his exploits during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.

In the 18th century, the WILT surname can be found in the records of the Parish of St. Michael's in Baddesley Ensor, Warwickshire. A prominent individual from this period was Reverend William Wilt (1715-1792), a clergyman of the Church of England who served as the Rector of Baddesley Ensor.

During the 19th century, the WILT surname spread to other parts of England, as well as to other English-speaking countries through immigration. One notable individual from this period was Charles Wilt (1836-1914), a British businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry.

Another prominent figure was Sir Henry Wilt (1857-1923), a British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early aviation and held several patents for aircraft designs.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wilt

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!