2000
#123,314
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 129
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Wittick
An English surname derived from a nickname for a witty or clever person.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Wittick. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wittick 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
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Wittick in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittick, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wittick
The surname Wittick is believed to have originated in Germany, likely emerging in the medieval period around the 12th or 13th century. The earliest roots of the name are deeply tied to the Old High German word "vit," which means "wide" or "far," and the suffix "-ick," which is common in Germanic naming traditions. The name may have originally described a person who lived in a wide-open area or whose family was spread across a wide region.
The Wittick surname has several variations and similar spellings throughout its history, including Wittich, Wittik, and Whitick. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the early Germanic records, where a Conrad Wittich is mentioned in a 14th-century manuscript. This suggests that the name was already in use among families in the German-speaking regions of Europe during that time.
As time progressed, bearers of the surname Wittick migrated to other parts of Europe, including England. Records from the 16th century note the presence of a Johannes Wittick in the county of Kent. Exploration of historical archives reveals that this family may have been involved in the wool trade, a significant industry in England at the time.
During the 17th century, Jacob Wittick, born in 1612 and deceased in 1678, became a recognizable figure in the historical records of Frankfurt. He was noted for his contributions to local civic improvements and is often mentioned in city council records. His surname spells slightly different as "Wittich" in some documents, highlighting the fluidity of name spellings during that period.
Another notable individual was Hans Wittick, a master blacksmith born in 1690 who crafted intricate ironworks in the town of Nuremberg. His works are still revered today, and some of his creations are preserved in local museums, providing a tangible connection to the past.
Further along in the 18th century, an exploration of records reveals the name of Maria Wittick, who was born in 1745 and became well-known in her locality for her contributions to early feminist literature in Hesse. Her writings, advocating for women's education and rights, were unconventional for the time and spread her name beyond her hometown.
By the 19th century, the name Wittick had crossed the Atlantic, with individuals like Johann Peter Wittick establishing themselves in the United States. Born in 1802, he emigrated from Bavaria and became a successful merchant in Pennsylvania. His descendants continue to bear the name, contributing to its legacy and widening its geographical spread.
In arts and culture, Frederick Wittick, born in 1840 and died in 1910, was a noted photographer based in London. His portraits captured the essence of Victorian society and gained substantial acclaim. His collection of photographs remains a valuable resource for historical studies of that era.
Throughout its history, the surname Wittick has appeared in various documents, including birth and marriage records, deeds, and wills. Despite its relatively rare occurrence, the name carries a rich legacy marked by geographical diversity and the notable achievements of its bearers. Studying the Wittick surname provides keen insight into the social, cultural, and economic movements of those who carried it across centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wittick
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittick, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Wittick 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 Wittick surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.4% · 107
- Hispanic or Latino5.0% · 6
- Black or African American3.3% · 4
- Two or more races3.3% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wittick
Wittick 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
#133,048
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 127
-2 bearers (-1.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,734 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-6 bearers (-4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,261 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #123,314 | 129 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,048 | 127 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.6%) | Down 9,734 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-4.7%) | Down 8,261 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 Wittick 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 | #133,048 | #141,309 | -6.2% |
| Count | 127 | 121 | -4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wittick bearers went from 127 to 121 (-4.7% change). The surname moved down 8,261 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,048 to #141,309.
FAQ
Wittick surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wittick?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Wittick. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Wittick?
Wittick ranks #141,309 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 121 people with the surname Wittick. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), 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 Wittick.
Has Wittick become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wittick went from 127 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 6 (-4.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,048 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Wittick?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wittick, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.4%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.0%) and Black (3.3%). 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 Wittick in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.4% (107 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wittick appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.4%), Hispanic (5.0%), Black (3.3%). 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 Wittick (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 Wittick mean?
An English surname derived from a nickname for a witty or clever person. 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 Wittick (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 have the last name Wittick?
Find out how many Americans have the surname Wittick on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.