2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wiscomb
A locational surname referring to someone from Wiscombe in Devon, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Wiscomb. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wiscomb 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
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Wiscomb in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiscomb, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wiscomb
The surname Wiscomb is believed to have originated in England, with its roots likely tracing back to the Anglo-Saxon period. It is derived from a geographical location, most probably named for its defining natural features. The name appears to be a compound of two Old English words: "wis", which might derive from "wisc" meaning a meadow or pasture, and "cumb" referring to a deep valley or hollow. This points to a place characterized by a pasture in a valley.
The first historical mentions of surnames similar to Wiscomb can be found in Anglo-Saxon charters and later in medieval manuscripts. While specific citations of Wiscomb in such early documents are not explicitly mentioned, similar surnames such as Wycomb and Wiscumbe have been noted in various historical registers. One of the earliest confirmed uses of a related name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, although the exact spelling "Wiscomb" might have emerged slightly later, reflecting changes in linguistic practices over time.
An early recorded instance of the surname Wiscomb appears in the early 14th century. John de Wiscomb, born around 1320, is one of the earliest documented individuals bearing the name. He resided in the southwest region of England, likely in Devon or Somerset, areas rich in the pastoral land that the name suggests.
Another notable person with the surname is Thomas Wiscomb, a landowner from Devon in the 15th century. His deeds are recorded in local legal chronicles, signifying the family's establishment and prominence in that region. Tomas's son, Roger Wiscomb, born circa 1450, continued the family legacy, expanding their holdings and involvement in local affairs.
In the 16th century, the name appears again with Richard Wiscomb, a yeoman from Somerset. Born around 1515, Richard's life is moderately well-documented through parish records, which detail his land transactions and civic duties. His contributions to the community were significant during a period of agricultural and social transformation in rural England.
The Wiscomb surname extends into the 17th century with George Wiscomb, born in 1602 in Dorset. George is noted for his service in local government and participation in efforts that contributed to the English Civil War era's socio-political landscape.
By the 18th century, the Wiscomb name had continued to feature in historical records. William Wiscomb, born in 1743, is known for his role as a merchant in Bristol. His business activities and engagements in trade, especially maritime commerce, highlight the evolving presence of the Wiscomb family in emerging British economic centers.
Over the centuries, the spelling of the surname has undergone minor variations, with Wycombe and Wiscomb being among the common early forms. The persistence of the surname across generations underscores its deep roots in the rural southwest of England, a testament to the enduring nature of legacy and local geography in surname heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wiscomb
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiscomb, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wiscomb 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 Wiscomb surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 89
- Hispanic or Latino8.9% · 9
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wiscomb
Wiscomb 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
+5 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,487 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-9 bearers (-8.2%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 5,875 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #149,395 | 110 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 4,487 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -9 bearers (-8.2%) | Down 5,875 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 Wiscomb 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 | #155,270 | -3.9% |
| Count | 110 | 101 | -8.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wiscomb bearers went from 110 to 101 (-8.2% change). The surname moved down 5,875 positions in the national ranking, going from #149,395 to #155,270.
FAQ
Wiscomb surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wiscomb?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Wiscomb. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Wiscomb?
Wiscomb ranks #155,270 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 101 people with the surname Wiscomb. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), 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 Wiscomb.
Has Wiscomb become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wiscomb went from 110 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 9 (-8.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #149,395 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Wiscomb?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiscomb, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (8.9%) and Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Wiscomb in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (89 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wiscomb appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Hispanic (8.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%). 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 Wiscomb (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 Wiscomb mean?
A locational surname referring to someone from Wiscombe in Devon, England. 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 Wiscomb (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 Wiscomb?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.