2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wiuff
An English surname derived from an outdated variant of the German word "wolf".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Wiuff. That puts it at #145,028 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,577,100 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wiuff 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
133
1 in 2,577,100
Census rank
#145,028
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
116
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 116 bearers of the surname Wiuff in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 145028th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiuff, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wiuff
The surname Wiuff likely originates from Denmark, with its roots tracing back to medieval times. Denmark, as part of the Scandinavian region, has a rich history of surnames that evolved from patronymic practices, geographical locations, and occupations. Wiuff is not among the most common surnames, which suggests it may have regional specificity or origins in smaller communities.
The name Wiuff may have derived from a combination of medieval Danish words or could be a variation of similar-sounding names from the period. The etymology could be linked to landscape features or occupations, though specific ancient words that it derives from are difficult to pinpoint precisely due to the scarcity of historical records. Similar spellings could include variations like Wiuf or Wuff, showing the fluid nature of surname spelling in historical records.
One of the earliest records where the name Wiuff appears is in local Danish church registries from the 1600s. These registries were kept by local parishes to document baptisms, marriages, and burials, which were essential records of the community's history. In one such registry from the town of Aarhus in the year 1654, there is mention of a Hans Wiuff, a local farmer. This suggests the name was already being used as a hereditary surname by the mid-17th century.
Further historical references include a soldier named Anders Wiuff who served in the Danish-Norwegian army during the Great Northern War (1700-1721). His service records from 1707 mention his participation in various battles, providing insight into the use and spread of the surname among different social classes in Danish society.
In the 18th century, another notable bearer of the surname was Jens Wiuff, born in 1732, who was known for his role as a merchant in the thriving coastal trade of Denmark. His trade dealings, recorded in maritime logs and merchant guild records of Copenhagen, suggest the name had a presence in commercial and urban contexts.
By the 19th century, a significant figure with the surname was Peter Wiuff, a notable landowner and farmer in Jutland, Denmark, born in 1820 and died in 1889. Historical agricultural journals and local historical societies’ publications frequently mention him, indicating the name's continued association with land and agriculture across generations.
Finally, historian records from the early 20th century mention Karen Wiuff, who was born in 1875 and became one of Denmark’s pioneering women in the field of education. She played a significant role in the establishment of several schools in rural Denmark and contributed to educational reforms, making her a significant historical figure bearing this unique surname.
In summary, the surname Wiuff has its roots deeply embedded in Danish history, evolving over centuries from likely regional origins to being borne by individuals who contributed to various facets of Danish society, from agriculture to military service, and education. The surname’s journey through time paints a fascinating picture of its role and significance in Denmark’s historical tapestry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wiuff
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiuff, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Wiuff 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 Wiuff surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.8% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 3
- Two or more races2.6% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wiuff
Wiuff 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
#134,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 125
+5 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 4,269 places
2020
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-9 bearers (-7.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,316 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #134,712 | 125 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 4,269 places |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.2%) | Down 10,316 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 Wiuff 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 | #134,712 | #145,028 | -7.7% |
| Count | 125 | 116 | -7.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -3.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wiuff bearers went from 125 to 116 (-7.2% change). The surname moved down 10,316 positions in the national ranking, going from #134,712 to #145,028.
FAQ
Wiuff surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wiuff?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Wiuff. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Wiuff?
Wiuff ranks #145,028 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 116 people with the surname Wiuff. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (133), 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 Wiuff.
Has Wiuff become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wiuff went from 125 recorded bearers to 116. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #134,712 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Wiuff?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiuff, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.6%) and Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Wiuff in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.8% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wiuff appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.8%), Hispanic (2.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%). 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 Wiuff (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 Wiuff mean?
An English surname derived from an outdated variant of the German word "wolf". 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 Wiuff (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 are called Wiuff?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people are called Wiuff at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.