2000
#12,100
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,365
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.88
Rare Last name
Wink
A surname of German origin, referring to a person who lived near a corner or turn in the road.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,634 Americans carry the last name Wink. That puts it at #12,803 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 130,127 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wink 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wink with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 130,127
Census rank
#12,803
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,297 bearers of the surname Wink in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12803rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wink, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wink
The surname WINK originated in England and has been traced back to the late 12th century. It is derived from the Old English word "winc," which means a corner or an angle. This suggests that the name was likely given to someone who lived on a plot of land with a distinctive bend or corner.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname WINK can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire from 1195, where a William Winc is mentioned. This indicates that the name was already established in that region by the late 12th century.
In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various forms, such as Wync, Wynk, and Winke, reflecting the variations in spelling common during that time. The Hundred Rolls of 1273 list a Henry le Wync from Oxfordshire, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1275 mention a Robert le Wynk.
By the 14th century, the spelling had evolved closer to its modern form. The Poll Tax Returns of 1379 record a John Wink from Yorkshire, and the Court Rolls of Wiltshire from 1392 mention a Thomas Wink.
One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname WINK was Sir Walter Wink, a knight who fought in the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. He was born in Wiltshire around 1380 and played a significant role in the English victory over the French forces.
Another prominent figure was John Wink, a merchant and alderman in the city of London during the late 15th century. He was born in 1452 and served as the Sheriff of London in 1491.
In the 16th century, the surname WINK was associated with several notable individuals, including Thomas Wink (1505-1578), a member of the English Parliament and landowner from Berkshire, and Richard Wink (1530-1601), a scholar and theologian who attended Oxford University.
During the 17th century, the name WINK was found in various parts of England, with records showing individuals from counties such as Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, and Hampshire. One noteworthy person from this period was Edward Wink (1620-1692), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Somerset.
In the 18th century, the surname WINK continued to be present across England, with individuals bearing the name residing in areas like Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Warwickshire. A notable figure from this time was William Wink (1725-1798), a successful banker and philanthropist from London.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wink
Among Census respondents with the surname Wink, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Wink 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 Wink surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.2% · 2,118
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 70
- Two or more races2.2% · 51
- Black or African American1.6% · 37
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 17
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.2% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wink
Wink 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
#11,894
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,632
+267 bearers (+11.3%)
Per 100,000 0.89
Rank movement Up 206 places
2020
#12,803
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,297
-335 bearers (-12.7%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Down 909 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,100 | 2,365 | 0.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,894 | 2,632 | 0.89 | +267 bearers (+11.3%) | Up 206 places |
| 2020 | #12,803 | 2,297 | 0.77 | -335 bearers (-12.7%) | Down 909 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 Wink 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 | #11,894 | #12,803 | -7.6% |
| Count | 2,632 | 2,297 | -12.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.89 | 0.77 | -13.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wink bearers went from 2,632 to 2,297 (-12.7% change). The surname moved down 909 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,894 to #12,803.
FAQ
Wink surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wink?
Name Census estimates that about 2,634 living Americans carry the surname Wink. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 130,127 residents.
How common is Wink?
Wink ranks #12,803 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,297 people with the surname Wink. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,634), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.77 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Wink.
Has Wink become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wink went from 2,632 recorded bearers to 2,297. That is a decrease of 335 (-12.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,894 to #12,803.
What does the Census say about the background of Wink?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wink, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Wink in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.2% (2,118 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wink appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.2%), Hispanic (3.0%), Two or More Races (2.2%). 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 Wink (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 Wink mean?
A surname of German origin, referring to a person who lived near a corner or turn in the road. 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 Wink (0.77 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 Wink?
You can see how many people have the surname Wink on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.