2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Winterbotham
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the winter dwellers".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Winterbotham. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Winterbotham 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 Winterbotham with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Winterbotham in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Winterbotham, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Winterbotham
The surname Winterbotham has its origins in England, specifically tracing back to the medieval period. The name is believed to be of locational origin, derived from a place name that has since either changed its name or become obscure. The first part of the surname, "Winter", is straightforward, referring to the coldest season of the year, indicating either a harsh climate or an area named for its wintery conditions. The second component, "botham", is likely derived from the Old English word "bothm" or "boðum", meaning a valley or broad river valley, indicating a place situated in such a geographical feature.
There are scarce references to the surname Winterbotham in the earliest historical records, but the Domesday Book of 1086, which lists many places and landholders in England, does not specifically mention the name. This suggests that the surname likely came into use after the Norman Conquest, perhaps by the 12th or 13th century, when the practice of using hereditary surnames began to solidify.
The earliest recorded instance of Winterbotham appears in regional records from the 14th century. For example, John de Winterbotham is mentioned in legal documents dating from the early 1300s, suggesting that the family may have been minor landholders or individuals of some local prominence. Other spellings of the name found in historical records include Winterbott and Winterbottom, reflecting the variable spelling conventions of the time.
In subsequent centuries, individuals bearing the name Winterbotham have come to notice. For instance, William Winterbotham, born in 1763 and died in 1829, is a notable figure in British history. He was a dissenting minister and author who was imprisoned for his radical political views. His works, including "An Historical, Geographical, Commercial and Philosophical View of the American United States," provided significant insights into the early years of the American republic.
Another important figure was Stanley Winterbotham, who lived during the early 20th century. He was known for his contributions to the field of archaeology in the British Isles, conducting excavations and publishing findings that shed light on prehistoric and medieval England.
The surname also appears in historical records concerning legal and political spheres. For instance, Jeremiah Winterbotham, active in the late 18th century, was involved in several legal cases that are recorded in the annals of British legal history, demonstrating the surname's presence in varying facets of English society.
Additionally, Charles Winterbotham, who lived in the 19th century, contributed to early agricultural developments in England. His efforts in improving farming techniques and land use are documented in regional agricultural journals of the time.
Lastly, Samuel Winterbotham, born in the mid-17th century, was another prominent figure linked to the Puritan movement and early colonial enterprises. His involvement in establishing settlements in the New World highlights the surname’s connection to broader historical events.
Throughout history, individuals bearing the surname Winterbotham have made notable contributions across various fields, from politics and religion to archaeology and agriculture. The name's roots in a locational origin emphasize the significance of geography in the formation of English surnames, while the historical records showcase the rich legacy carried by those who bore it.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Winterbotham
Among Census respondents with the surname Winterbotham, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Winterbotham 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 Winterbotham surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White95.5% · 105
- Two or more races2.7% · 3
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Winterbotham
Winterbotham 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
#149,395
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+9 bearers (+8.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 67 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 51 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.9%) | Down 67 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 51 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 Winterbotham 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 | #149,395 | #149,446 | -0.0% |
| Count | 110 | 110 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Winterbotham bearers went from 110 to 110 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 51 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #149,446.
FAQ
Winterbotham surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Winterbotham?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Winterbotham. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Winterbotham?
Winterbotham ranks #149,446 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 110 people with the surname Winterbotham. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), 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 Winterbotham.
Has Winterbotham become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Winterbotham went from 110 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Winterbotham?
Among Census respondents with the surname Winterbotham, the largest self-reported group is White at 95.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.7%) and Black (0.9%). 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 Winterbotham in the 2020 Census, accounting for 95.5% (105 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Winterbotham appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (95.5%), Two or More Races (2.7%), Black (0.9%). 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 Winterbotham (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 Winterbotham mean?
A locational surname derived from a place name meaning "valley of the winter dwellers". 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 Winterbotham (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 Winterbotham?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.