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

Wiltshire, 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 Wiltshire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wiltshire in America

Wiltshire is the 10974th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wiltshire surname appeared 2,899 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 Wiltshire.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wiltshire 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 Wiltshire

The surname Wiltshire has its origins in England, deriving from the historic county of Wiltshire. The name itself is a locational surname, indicating that the earliest bearers of the name hailed from this region. The county's name is derived from the Old English words "Wilton" and "scir," which together mean "the district of Wilton."

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Wiltshire can be traced back to the late 12th century. One notable example is found in the Pipe Rolls of Northamptonshire from 1196, where a certain William de Wiltesir is mentioned. This spelling variation, "Wiltesir," highlights the evolving nature of the surname over time.

In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, a record of landowners and their holdings, several individuals with the surname Wiltshire or variations thereof are listed, such as Reginald de Wilteshire and William de Wiltsire. This suggests that the name was well-established by the 13th century.

The Domesday Book, the comprehensive survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Wiltshire. However, it does mention various landholders and tenants within the county itself, indicating the region's historical significance.

One notable individual bearing the Wiltshire surname was Sir Thomas Wiltshire (c. 1470-1526), who served as a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire during the reign of Henry VIII. Another prominent figure was Walter Wiltshire (1618-1701), an English philosopher and clergyman who was a fellow of the Royal Society.

In the literary realm, John Wiltshire (1681-1749) was an English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works, including "A Discourse on the Lord's Supper." Additionally, Robert Wiltshire (1786-1855) was a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars.

The Wiltshire surname has also been associated with various places within the county itself, such as Wiltshire Village and Wiltshire County, further reinforcing the name's locational origins.

Throughout history, the surname Wiltshire has undergone various spelling variations, including Wiltesir, Wilteshire, Wiltsire, and Wiltshyre, reflecting the evolving nature of English orthography over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wiltshire

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

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

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

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