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

Wimby, 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 Wimby surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wimby in America

Wimby is the 101737th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wimby surname appeared 177 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 Wimby.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wimby 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 Wimby

The surname Wimby is believed to have its roots in England, dating back to the medieval era. The name likely originates from a place name, a common practice in English surname history. It is connected to habitational origins, derived from a place called Wimby or a similar spelling like Wemby. Such places often took their names from Old English words. In this case, the etymology might involve elements like "wynn," meaning meadow or pasture, and "by," an Old Norse word meaning farmstead or village. Therefore, Wimby could mean a farmstead near a meadow.

The earliest references to the name Wimby are sparse but indicate its association with rural communities. There are mentions in parish registers and local taxation documents from the 16th and 17th centuries in counties such as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. A John Wimby appears in records as a landowner in Yorkshire in 1578, pointing to the name's socio-economic standing at the time.

In historical manuscripts, instances of the surname appear in various spellings due to the lack of standardized spelling until modern times. For example, archival records from 1623 mention a William Wemby in Lincolnshire, further corroborating the notion that Wimby has regional variations. Similarly, a marriage record from 1684 in Norfolk lists a Thomas Wimby, showing the name's persistence in different forms across several generations.

The 18th century saw more detailed records of individuals with the name Wimby. A notable instance is Rebecca Wimby, born in 1715, who was known in her community for her work in local healthcare and midwifery. Records from a parish in Cambridgeshire list her contributions, signifying the name's association with local prominence and service.

In the 19th century, an Edward Wimby made a mark as a small-scale industrialist, born in 1802 and dying in 1875. He was part of the burgeoning industrial landscape in the north of England, owning a modest textile mill that employed several families. Then, in 1823, Samuel Wimby, a noted solicitor from Suffolk, became known for his involvement in landmark legal cases of the pre-Victorian era.

In summary, the surname Wimby evolved from Old English and Old Norse linguistic elements, tied to English rural landscapes. It appears in historical records dating back to the 16th century, with various prominent individuals bearing the name. From landownership in medieval Yorkshire to healthcare services in 18th-century Cambridgeshire and industrial ventures in 19th-century England, the name Wimby encapsulates a width of historical engagements and regional presences.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wimby

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

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

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

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