2000
#128,797
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 122
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wimms
A surname of Germanic origin, possibly related to the words "wim" or "wimmel" meaning a swarm or lively movement.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Wimms. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wimms surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Wimms in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimms, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (8.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wimms
The surname Wimms is believed to have its origins in England. It likely dates back to the medieval period, centered around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is thought to originate from regions in the southern and central parts of England where surnames were becoming more common among the populace.
The surname Wimms may derive from the Old English given name "Winemær," which combines "wine," meaning friend or protector, and "mær," meaning famous. This combination suggests that the name likely referred to someone known for their friendship or renown. It may have also originated as a locational surname from places associated with similar-sounding names such as Wimborne in Dorset or Wimborne St. Giles, both known since the Domesday Book of 1086.
Old records do not have widespread mentions of the surname due to its relative rarity. However, it does appear in certain medieval documents. In the Tax Subsidy Rolls of 1332, there is a mention of one Richard de Wimmes in Northamptonshire, indicating that the name was present in written records as far back as the early 14th century.
One of the earliest recorded examples is Thomas Wimms, born around 1450 in Kent. Thomas Wimms is recognized in local records as a yeoman, indicating he was a freeholder of land. By the late 1500s, Robert Wimms (1571–1638) emerges in historical records in Norfolk, where he was known for his involvement in local municipality affairs as a borough officer.
In the 17th century, another notable figure was John Wimms (1615–1672), who served in the English Civil War on the side of the Parliamentarians. His role, although minor, was documented in military rosters of the time, which contributed to the name’s historical record.
By the 18th century, the surname appears in colonial records of the New World. William Wimms, born in 1695 in England, emigrated to the American colonies and settled in Virginia around 1720. He became a notable planter and his descendants played roles in the early development of the region.
In the early 19th century, Sarah Wimms (1803–1874), a prominent figure, is known for her philanthropic efforts in London. Her work particularly focused on the poor and underprivileged children, making her a well-respected name during the Victorian era.
Through the centuries, the name Wimms, though not exceedingly common, encapsulates a legacy tied with both land and service, reflecting the social and historical contexts of its bearers.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wimms
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimms, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (8.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Wimms bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Wimms surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American76.6% · 85
- Two or more races9.0% · 10
- White8.1% · 9
- Hispanic or Latino5.4% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wimms
Wimms appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#154,907
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-17 bearers (-13.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,110 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+6 bearers (+5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,242 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #128,797 | 122 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #154,907 | 105 | 0.04 | -17 bearers (-13.9%) | Down 26,110 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.7%) | Up 6,242 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Wimms surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #154,907 | #148,665 | 4.0% |
| Count | 105 | 111 | 5.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wimms bearers went from 105 to 111 (+5.7% change). The surname moved up 6,242 positions in the national ranking, going from #154,907 to #148,665.
FAQ
Wimms surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wimms?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Wimms. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Wimms?
Wimms ranks #148,665 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 111 people with the surname Wimms. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Wimms.
Has Wimms become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wimms went from 105 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 6 (+5.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #154,907 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Wimms?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimms, the largest self-reported group is Black at 76.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.0%) and White (8.1%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wimms in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.6% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wimms appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (76.6%), Two or More Races (9.0%), White (8.1%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Wimms (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Wimms mean?
A surname of Germanic origin, possibly related to the words "wim" or "wimmel" meaning a swarm or lively movement. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Wimms (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Wimms?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the last name Wimms on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.