2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wisker
A surname derived from the word "wisker" referring to a maker or seller of whisks.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Wisker. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wisker 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 Wisker with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Wisker in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wisker
The surname Wisker is believed to have its origins in the British Isles, specifically England. Tracing its roots back to the medieval period around the 12th to 14th centuries, this surname likely has connections to specific regions in England, wherein old English and Norse influences were notable. It may derive from the Old English word "wisc" meaning a piece of meadow or the Norse "visker," which could signify a fisherman or one who lives by a river.
Historical records and manuscripts from medieval England sometimes reveal variations of the surname. In the Domesday Book of 1086, a commissioned survey by William the Conqueror, there are entries reminiscent of Wisker, although the precise spelling varies. Early recorded versions of the name appear in Parish Registers and tax records, revealing the name to be present in counties such as Yorkshire and Lancashire, regions rich in rivers and fisheries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the Wisker surname appears in the Poll Tax Records of Yorkshire in the late 14th century. A notable reference is to a John Wisker in the year 1379. This form of the surname then propagated through the medieval and Renaissance periods, signifying the family's continued presence in the area.
Several notable individuals bearing the Wisker surname have been documented in history. William Wisker, born in 1602 and active in London, is recorded in the proceedings of the English Civil War, having served on the side of the Parliamentarians. Another prominent figure is Thomas Wisker, a 17th-century landowner in Yorkshire, whose records indicate significant land transactions and local influence up until his death in 1667.
The 18th century saw the emergence of Robert Wisker, born in 1735, known for his contributions to the burgeoning industrial activities in Manchester. His descendants retained the Wisker surname and continued to influence the developing urban and industrial landscape throughout the 19th century.
In the field of literature, Charlotte Wisker, born in 1842, made a notable impact with her early feminist writings and critiques of social norms. Her works were published under her real name, reflecting a breakout from the Victorian convention of female authors adopting masculine pseudonyms.
Finally, Joseph Wisker, born in 1789 and later serving as a Member of Parliament for a Yorkshire constituency, is another historical figure of note. His career and legislative contributions lasted until his death in 1856, leaving behind a legacy tied to the political landscape of the time.
Throughout these centuries, the Wisker surname has undergone slight variations but remains closely associated with its origins in the English countryside, reflective of occupational and locational influences that shaped its etymology and historical significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wisker
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (2.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wisker 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 Wisker surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Two or more races2.9% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wisker
Wisker 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
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 13,701 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+4 bearers (+4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,723 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Down 13,701 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+4.0%) | Up 6,723 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 Wisker 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 | #159,712 | #152,989 | 4.2% |
| Count | 101 | 105 | 4.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 17.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wisker bearers went from 101 to 105 (+4.0% change). The surname moved up 6,723 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #152,989.
FAQ
Wisker surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wisker?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Wisker. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Wisker?
Wisker ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Wisker. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Wisker.
Has Wisker become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wisker went from 101 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 4 (+4.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Wisker?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wisker, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (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 Wisker in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wisker appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (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 Wisker (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 Wisker mean?
A surname derived from the word "wisker" referring to a maker or seller of whisks. 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 Wisker (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 common is the surname Wisker?
If you just want to know how many people have the surname Wisker, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.