2000
#105,905
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 156
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Wingren
A Swedish surname derived from the elements "vinne" meaning conquest and "gren" meaning branch or bough.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Wingren. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wingren 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
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Wingren in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingren, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wingren
The surname Wingren is of Scandinavian origin, predominantly found in Sweden. The name dates back to the late medieval period, with its earliest strong presence in regions such as Småland and Götaland. It is a toponymic surname, derived from geographical features or settlement names. The suffix "gren" is a common Old Norse component meaning "branch" or "twig," suggesting a connection to nature or trees. The prefix "win" might be related to the Old Norse word "vin," meaning "meadow" or "pasture," indicating a possible origin related to a meadow with significant trees or branches.
Early records of the Wingren surname can be traced back to parish registers in the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly in southern Sweden. Examples of this surname appear in old church records and tax documents. A prominent reference to the surname appears in the 1640 tax records of Jönköping County, where a family bearing the name was noted as landowners.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wingren is Lars Wingren, born in 1689 in Kalmar County. He was a well-respected blacksmith in his community and held various local titles throughout his life, reflecting the family's emerging significance in the area. Lars Wingren passed away in 1754, having laid a foundation for many generations to follow.
In the 19th century, the name gained more prominence with Johan Wingren, born in 1821 in Västergötland. Johan was a notable agrarian reformer who contributed significantly to modernizing Swedish farming techniques. His work earned him considerable recognition, solidifying the Wingren name in Swedish agricultural history. Johan Wingren died in 1897.
Another historical figure is Carl Wingren, born in 1875 in Västerbotten. Carl Wingren was an early Swedish industrialist, founding one of the first sawmills in the region. His enterprise helped spur economic growth and innovation in the timber industry. Carl Wingren's influence extended beyond his death in 1943, as his family continued his industrial legacy.
During the early 20th century, Marta Wingren, an influential educator born in 1899 in Stockholm, emerged as a significant figure. She played a vital role in advancing educational reforms and was known for her progressive teaching methods. Marta Wingren's contributions were widely acknowledged, and she left a lasting impact on Swedish education before her death in 1975.
The Wingren surname continues to hold historical significance, with roots deeply embedded in Sweden’s cultural and social development. This legacy can be traced through various historical records and notable individuals who carried the name across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wingren
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingren, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Wingren 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 Wingren surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.7% · 108
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wingren
Wingren 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
#124,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
-18 bearers (-11.5%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 18,643 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-24 bearers (-17.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 21,947 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #105,905 | 156 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #124,548 | 138 | 0.05 | -18 bearers (-11.5%) | Down 18,643 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -24 bearers (-17.4%) | Down 21,947 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 Wingren 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 | #124,548 | #146,495 | -17.6% |
| Count | 138 | 114 | -17.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -23.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wingren bearers went from 138 to 114 (-17.4% change). The surname moved down 21,947 positions in the national ranking, going from #124,548 to #146,495.
FAQ
Wingren surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wingren?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Wingren. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Wingren?
Wingren ranks #146,495 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 114 people with the surname Wingren. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), 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 Wingren.
Has Wingren become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wingren went from 138 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 24 (-17.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #124,548 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Wingren?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wingren, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Wingren in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.7% (108 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wingren appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.7%), Hispanic (1.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.8%). 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 Wingren (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 Wingren mean?
A Swedish surname derived from the elements "vinne" meaning conquest and "gren" meaning branch or bough. 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 Wingren (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 Americans have the surname Wingren?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.