2000
#141,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wittenbrook
A locational surname derived from a brook or stream located in a place called "Witten."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Wittenbrook. That puts it at #151,639 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,786,621 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wittenbrook 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
123
1 in 2,786,621
Census rank
#151,639
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
107
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 107 bearers of the surname Wittenbrook in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 151639th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenbrook, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wittenbrook
The surname Wittenbrook has its origins in Germany, dating back to the early medieval period. This surname is toponymic, indicating a geographical location associated with the family. The name likely derives from an area characterized by both whiteness and water. "Witten-" is derived from the Middle High German word "witen," meaning "white" or "bright." The suffix "-brook" refers to a small stream or brook, from the Old High German "bruoh," indicating a low-lying meadow with water.
The earliest regions associated with the name Wittenbrook are likely in the north of Germany, where such water features are common. This surname is found in old records, from pastoral lands near streams. Earliest spells of the name appear as "Wittenbrock" or "Wittenbrooke" in documents, reflecting slight variations with local dialects and spelling conventions of the pre-standardized German language.
One of the historical references for the surname Wittenbrook is found in church records from the 14th century. Records from Lübeck, a city which was part of the Hanseatic League, include a mention of a Hans Wittenbrook, a trader and member of the local guilds, around the year 1378. His involvement in trade suggests that the family was quite integrated into the mercantile activities of the period.
In the 16th century, a notable person bearing the surname was Mathias Wittenbrook, born in 1523 in Hamburg. He was known for his work as a shipbuilder and merchant, contributing significantly to the maritime industry of the city. His endeavors helped solidify Hamburg's reputation as a key port in Northern Europe. Mathias Wittenbrook's descendants continued to engage in maritime trade, carrying on the family's significant economic contributions.
Another important historical figure is Johann Wittenbrook, a 17th-century Lutheran theologian born in 1642 in Bremen. Known for his scholarly works and sermons, Johann was an influential figure in the religious circles of his time. His debates on Lutheran orthodoxy versus emerging Pietism are documented in various theological manuscripts of the era.
Moving into the 18th century, an influential person carrying the surname Wittenbrook was Friederich Wittenbrook, an officer in the Prussian army during the Seven Years' War, born in 1715. His military tactics and leadership were noted in several battle records, and his role is well-documented in the military archives of the Kingdom of Prussia.
The surname Wittenbrook also appears in 19th-century records. Clara Wittenbrook, born in 1802 in Berlin, was known for her philanthropic efforts. She established several educational institutions for underprivileged children and was an advocate for women's rights, leaving a lasting legacy on the city's educational reform movements.
Historically, the Wittenbrook name highlights various individuals who made significant contributions in their respective fields. The evolution of the surname lines up closely with the shifting societal and geographical landscapes of Northern Germany, showing a rich history punctuated by notable achievements across trade, religion, military, and social reform.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wittenbrook
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenbrook, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wittenbrook 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 Wittenbrook surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.6% · 98
- Hispanic or Latino6.5% · 7
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wittenbrook
Wittenbrook 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
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+11 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,631 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-12 bearers (-10.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,482 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #141,788 | 108 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 1,631 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -12 bearers (-10.1%) | Down 11,482 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 Wittenbrook 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 | #140,157 | #151,639 | -8.2% |
| Count | 119 | 107 | -10.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wittenbrook bearers went from 119 to 107 (-10.1% change). The surname moved down 11,482 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #151,639.
FAQ
Wittenbrook surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wittenbrook?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Wittenbrook. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Wittenbrook?
Wittenbrook ranks #151,639 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 107 people with the surname Wittenbrook. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (123), 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 Wittenbrook.
Has Wittenbrook become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wittenbrook went from 119 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 12 (-10.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Wittenbrook?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittenbrook, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (6.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Wittenbrook in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.6% (98 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wittenbrook appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.6%), Hispanic (6.5%), Two or More Races (1.9%). 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 Wittenbrook (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 Wittenbrook mean?
A locational surname derived from a brook or stream located in a place called "Witten." 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 Wittenbrook (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 people share the surname Wittenbrook?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.