2000
#118,236
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 136
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wimple
A surname derived from the archaic word for a cloth headdress worn by women.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Wimple. That puts it at #154,182 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,904,698 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wimple 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
118
1 in 2,904,698
Census rank
#154,182
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
103
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 103 bearers of the surname Wimple in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 154182nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimple, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.2%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wimple
The surname Wimple finds its origins in England during the medieval period. It is believed to have originated around the 12th century, primarily in the West Country of England, with Devon being one of the key areas. The name Wimple is derived from the Old English word "wimpel," meaning a head covering or veil, which was a common piece of attire in medieval times. This was an item typically worn by women and sometimes by men, linked to both clerical and secular wardrobes.
Historical records suggest that the surname Wimple made its first notable appearance in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. In Devon, certain landowners bore the name or a variant of it, such as Wimpleshire, indicating a relationship to small medieval settlements or manors.
One of the earliest recorded examples of a person with the surname Wimple is John Wimple, who appears in the Pipe Rolls of Devon in 1195. These rolls were financial records of lands and fees owed to the Crown, revealing John Wimple as a landholder of moderate status. Another early instance is Agnes Wimple, mentioned in the Assize Rolls of 1256, indicating her involvement in a judicial matter in the county of Somerset.
During the 14th century, Richard Wimple, born around 1320 and deceased in 1385, was noted in ecclesiastical records for his contributions to the church in Exeter, Devon. His generous donations and participation in local parish affairs suggest that the Wimple family had accrued a measure of wealth and influence in the region.
By the 16th century, the name Wimple began to spread to other parts of England. In the parish registers of London, Robert Wimple, born in 1542, appears as a merchant involved in the burgeoning trade during the Elizabethan era. His dealings in textiles and other goods made him a prominent figure in the city's economic scene until his death in 1601.
The surname saw continued representation in various facets of English society. Thomas Wimple, born in 1610 and deceased in 1672, was recorded in the Civil War documents for his service to the Royalist cause. His loyalty to King Charles I led him to fight in several battles before settling back in Devon after the war.
Ann Wimple, a notable poet and writer of the late 18th century, had an influential role in the literary circles of her time. Born in 1759 and passing away in 1820, her works often reflected the rural life of Devon and the social changes of the era. Her publications brought a degree of fame and recognition to the Wimple name in English literature.
Overall, the surname Wimple has a rich history intertwined with the social, economic, and cultural fabric of medieval and early modern England. From landholders and ecclesiastical figures to merchants and literary contributors, the Wimple name reflects a diverse legacy that spans several centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wimple
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimple, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.2%) and Hispanic (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wimple 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 Wimple surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White64.1% · 66
- Black or African American28.2% · 29
- Hispanic or Latino4.9% · 5
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wimple
Wimple 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
#130,610
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
-6 bearers (-4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,374 places
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-27 bearers (-20.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 23,572 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #118,236 | 136 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #130,610 | 130 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.4%) | Down 12,374 places |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -27 bearers (-20.8%) | Down 23,572 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 Wimple 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 | #130,610 | #154,182 | -18.0% |
| Count | 130 | 103 | -20.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wimple bearers went from 130 to 103 (-20.8% change). The surname moved down 23,572 positions in the national ranking, going from #130,610 to #154,182.
FAQ
Wimple surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wimple?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Wimple. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Wimple?
Wimple ranks #154,182 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 103 people with the surname Wimple. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Wimple.
Has Wimple become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wimple went from 130 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 27 (-20.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #130,610 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Wimple?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wimple, the largest self-reported group is White at 64.1%. The next largest groups are Black (28.2%) and Hispanic (4.9%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wimple in the 2020 Census, accounting for 64.1% (66 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wimple appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (64.1%), Black (28.2%), Hispanic (4.9%). 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 Wimple (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 Wimple mean?
A surname derived from the archaic word for a cloth headdress worn by women. 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 Wimple (0.03 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 share the surname Wimple?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.