Wimberly last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wimberly

From a place name meaning "Wimaer's woodland clearing," derived from the Old English personal name "Wimaer" combined with "leah."

Wimberly, 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 Wimberly surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wimberly in America

Wimberly is the 4070th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wimberly surname appeared 8,729 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 Wimberly.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wimberly 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 4070 3883 4.70%
Count 8,729 8,406 3.77%
Proportion per 100k 2.96 3.12 -5.26%

The history of the last name Wimberly

The surname WIMBERLY is of English origin, derived from the place name Wimbledon, a town located in southwest London. The name is believed to have emerged in the late 11th or early 12th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

The name Wimbledon is thought to be derived from the Old English words "Wyndel" or "Wynnman," meaning a curved or winding hill, and "dun," meaning a hill or down. The name Wimbledon initially referred to the area's distinct geography, with its rolling hills and winding terrain.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name WIMBERLY can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The Domesday Book lists a landowner named Willelmus de Wimbeldone, which is considered one of the earliest written references to the name's connection with the Wimbledon area.

During the Middle Ages, the name WIMBERLY appeared in various historical records and manuscripts, often spelled in different ways, such as Wymbeldon, Wimboldone, and Wymbeldon, reflecting the evolution of English spelling over time.

One notable figure bearing the name WIMBERLY was Sir John Wimberly (c. 1460-1518), a prominent English landowner and military commander during the Wars of the Roses. He served as the High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex and was knighted for his bravery on the battlefield.

Another historical figure was Thomas Wimberly (1572-1638), an English clergyman and scholar who served as the Rector of Waltham St. Lawrence in Berkshire. He is known for his contributions to theological literature and his numerous published works on religious topics.

In the 17th century, John Wimberly (1623-1688) was a successful merchant and landowner in the English colony of Virginia. He was influential in the establishment of Yorktown and is credited with helping to secure the area's economic prosperity through his trade ventures.

During the 18th century, Samuel Wimberly (1733-1811) was a notable English architect and surveyor. He designed several prominent buildings in London, including the Ranelagh Pleasure Gardens and the Serpentine Bridge in Hyde Park.

Another historic figure was Sir William Wimberly (1787-1868), a British politician and industrialist who served as a Member of Parliament for Southampton. He played a significant role in the development of the city's shipbuilding and maritime industries.

While the surname WIMBERLY has its roots in England, particularly in the Wimbledon area, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and the diaspora of English settlers. The name continues to be associated with its historical origins and serves as a reminder of the rich heritage and cultural influences that have shaped surnames over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wimberly

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

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 Wimberly was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 49.19% 4,294
Non-Hispanic Black Only 44.76% 3,907
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only 0.18% 16
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.54% 47
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 2.10% 183
Hispanic Origin 3.23% 282

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 Wimberly has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 49.19% 51.64% -4.86%
Black 44.76% 43.16% 3.64%
Asian and Pacific Islander 0.18% 0.17% 5.71%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.54% 0.48% 11.76%
Two or More Races 2.10% 1.89% 10.53%
Hispanic 3.23% 2.66% 19.35%

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

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

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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!

"Wimberly last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 27, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wimberly-surname-popularity/.

"Wimberly last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wimberly-surname-popularity/. Accessed 27 July, 2024

Wimberly last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wimberly-surname-popularity/.

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