2010
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Winig
A Germanic surname derived from words related to vineyards or wine production.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 118 Americans carry the last name Winig. 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 Winig 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 Winig 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 Winig, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Winig
The surname Winig is believed to have originated in Germany, dating back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name has roots in the regions of Bavaria and the Rhineland, areas known for their rich history and significant contributions to Germanic culture.
Winig likely derives from an old Germanic word or similar spellings, possibly related to "wini," meaning "friend," or "winne," meaning "joy" or "delight." Such roots suggest that the original bearers of the surname may have been individuals who were cherished in their communities for their joyful nature or strong friendships.
Historical references to the name Winig are sparse but noteworthy. One of the earliest recorded instances appears in a 14th-century Bavarian tax register, where a Heinrich Winig is listed as a landowner. This indicates that the Winig family was already established and held property during that period.
Another significant mention is found in the 15th-century Rhineland Church records, where the name Johann Winig appears. Johann was born in 1412 and is noted for being a prominent member of his local parish, suggesting that the Winig family had longstanding ties to religious and community services.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Maria Winig, born in 1533, emerges from historical records. She was known for her work as a midwife in Bavaria and became well-respected for her skills and knowledge in a time when such professions were crucial yet often undervalued.
By the 17th century, the name had spread to other parts of Europe. In 1668, records from the Netherlands mention a merchant named Pieter Winig, who played a vital role in the trade between Dutch and German states. His activities highlight the increasing mobility and influence of the Winig family during this period.
In the early 18th century, a scholar named Friedrich Winig, born in 1705, gained repute in the academic circles of Berlin for his work on medieval German literature. His contributions to the study of old Germanic texts underscore the intellectual legacy associated with the Winig surname.
These historical individuals exhibit the diverse roles and contributions of the Winig family across various regions and centuries. While not widely recognized as a surname of legendary status, those bearing the name Winig have nonetheless left their mark on history through their varied and notable endeavors.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Winig
Among Census respondents with the surname Winig, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Winig 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 Winig surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.5% · 86
- Two or more races8.7% · 9
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.9% · 3
- Hispanic or Latino1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Winig
Winig appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#154,182
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
-6 bearers (-5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 3,730 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #154,182 | 103 | 0.03 | -6 bearers (-5.5%) | Down 3,730 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 Winig 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 | #150,452 | #154,182 | -2.5% |
| Count | 109 | 103 | -5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Winig bearers went from 109 to 103 (-5.5% change). The surname moved down 3,730 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #154,182.
FAQ
Winig surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Winig?
Name Census estimates that about 118 living Americans carry the surname Winig. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,904,698 residents.
How common is Winig?
Winig 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 Winig. 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 Winig.
Has Winig become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Winig went from 109 recorded bearers to 103. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #150,452 to #154,182.
What does the Census say about the background of Winig?
Among Census respondents with the surname Winig, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (8.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Winig in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.5% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Winig appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.5%), Two or More Races (8.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (2.9%). 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 Winig (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 Winig mean?
A Germanic surname derived from words related to vineyards or wine production. 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 Winig (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 Americans have the surname Winig?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.