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

Wimbley, 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 Wimbley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wimbley in America

Wimbley is the 17896th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wimbley surname appeared 1,562 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 Wimbley.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wimbley 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 Wimbley

The surname Wimbley finds its origin in England, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be a locational name derived from a place name, possibly indicating that the original bearers hailed from a specific village or hamlet. This type of surname was often assigned to individuals based on the locations where they lived or worked, making it easier to identify people in a time before modern administrative records.

The name Wimbley appears to have connections to Old English elements. The suffix "ley" in Old English often refers to a clearing, meadow, or woodland. The prefix "Wim" could be derived from an Old English personal name such as "Wynn," meaning joy or pleasure, combined with "beorg," meaning hill or mound. Such combinations were common in Anglo-Saxon England, which suggests that Wimbley could have originally meant a joyful or pleasant place on a hill.

Historical references to the name Wimbley are scarce but notable in medieval English records. One of the earliest instances of the name in written form appears in the 13th century, though the exact document is unknown. Variations in the spelling of the name, such as Wymbley or Wymbely, can be found as literacy rates were low and spelling was highly inconsistent.

The Domesday Book, while not directly referencing Wimbley, provides context for the era and type of records where such surnames were first documented. It lists similar-sounding locations that could have phonetic connections to the name's origin. The evolution of the surname is evident through its appearance in various medieval charters and land records, often linking the name to specific parcels of land or estates.

One of the earliest bearers of the surname is Thomas Wimbley, recorded in the court rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1379. His presence in the records highlights the usage of the surname in administrative and legal contexts of the time. Another notable figure was Richard Wimbley, mentioned in the poll tax returns of Yorkshire in 1379, suggesting the name's presence in northern England.

In the 16th century, Elizabeth Wimbley of London was documented in parish records, marking the transition of the name into more urban settings as England underwent significant demographic changes. The shifting populations to cities brought about the recording of surnames in a new context, beyond purely rural locales.

The name Wimbley persisted through the centuries, as evidenced by John Wimbley, a landowner in Kent recorded in various 17th-century estate transactions. This continuity demonstrates the surname's endurance and its association with property and social status during periods of both stability and turmoil.

The renowned botanist Henry Wimbley, born in 1803 and passing away in 1874, significantly contributed to the scientific community and brought particular attention to the surname. His work in plant taxonomy is still referenced in botanical literature, marking an enduring legacy tied to the Wimbley name.

Through these historical threads, the surname Wimbley emerges as a name deeply rooted in English medieval society, connected to specific locales and evolving with the social transformations of England over several centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wimbley

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

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

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

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