2000
#40,335
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 511
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.19
Very Rare Last name
Witts
An English surname derived from the Middle English word "wit" meaning wise or intelligent.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 652 Americans carry the last name Witts. That puts it at #41,249 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.19 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 525,697 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Witts 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 Witts with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
652
1 in 525,697
Census rank
#41,249
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
569
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 569 bearers of the surname Witts in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.19 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 41249th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Witts, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Witts
The surname Witts is of English origin. The earliest traces of the name can be found in the southern counties of England, particularly in Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words witt, meaning knowledge or wisdom, and sometimes from wudu, meaning wood, indicating a possible connection to someone living near a wooded area or possessing notable intelligence.
The name Witts is sometimes seen in old records with variations in spelling, such as Wytts and Witts. During the 12th and 13th centuries, names were often recorded phonetically, leading to multiple spellings in historical documents and manuscripts. One notable mention comes from the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where a Thomas Wyttes is recorded.
The Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, does not specifically mention the surname Witts, but it does provide valuable context for understanding the lives of individuals in late 11th century England, some of whom likely bore or would soon adopt surnames like Witts. The earliest recorded instance of the surname Witts in a more modern form appears in the late 13th century with Richard Witts noted in Oxfordshire.
In the 16th century, John Witts (1527-1595) became a prominent figure by distinguishing himself through his scholarly pursuits. Moving into the 17th century, another noteworthy individual is Thomas Witts, born in 1622. He became an influential landowner in Gloucestershire and was involved in the local administration.
By the 18th century, Benjamin Witts (1693-1761) gained recognition for his contributions to agriculture and innovation in farming techniques within the county of Gloucestershire, enhancing the reputation of the Witts family in that region. Later, Samuel Witts (1745-1818), an influential cleric, contributed significantly to religious and local community developments.
In the 19th century, George Witts (1846-1912) stood out as a civil engineer and antiquarian known for his work in documenting Roman and medieval structures in Gloucestershire, contributing to the historical preservation efforts in the area.
The Witts surname has a rich history characterized by connections to wisdom, landownership, scholarly pursuits, and community involvement. The family name's presence in notable historical documents and the renown of its bearers across centuries underscore its significance in English history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Witts
Among Census respondents with the surname Witts, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (11.4%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Witts 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 Witts surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White82.6% · 470
- Black or African American11.4% · 65
- Two or more races3.3% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino1.4% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Witts
Witts 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
#46,725
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 455
-56 bearers (-11.0%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Down 6,390 places
2020
#41,249
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 569
+114 bearers (+25.1%)
Per 100,000 0.19
Rank movement Up 5,476 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #40,335 | 511 | 0.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #46,725 | 455 | 0.15 | -56 bearers (-11.0%) | Down 6,390 places |
| 2020 | #41,249 | 569 | 0.19 | +114 bearers (+25.1%) | Up 5,476 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 Witts 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 | #46,725 | #41,249 | 11.7% |
| Count | 455 | 569 | 25.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.19 | 26.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Witts bearers went from 455 to 569 (+25.1% change). The surname moved up 5,476 positions in the national ranking, going from #46,725 to #41,249.
FAQ
Witts surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Witts?
Name Census estimates that about 652 living Americans carry the surname Witts. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 525,697 residents.
How common is Witts?
Witts ranks #41,249 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.19 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 569 people with the surname Witts. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (652), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.19 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.19 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 Witts.
Has Witts become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Witts went from 455 recorded bearers to 569. That is an increase of 114 (+25.1%). In the national ranking it rose from #46,725 to #41,249.
What does the Census say about the background of Witts?
Among Census respondents with the surname Witts, the largest self-reported group is White at 82.6%. The next largest groups are Black (11.4%) and Two or More Races (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 Witts in the 2020 Census, accounting for 82.6% (470 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Witts appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (82.6%), Black (11.4%), Two or More Races (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 Witts (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 Witts mean?
An English surname derived from the Middle English word "wit" meaning wise or intelligent. 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 Witts (0.19 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 Witts?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Witts on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.