2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wiyninger
A surname possibly referring to someone from the German town of Weingarten or meaning "vineyard worker".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 124 Americans carry the last name Wiyninger. That puts it at #150,935 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,764,148 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wiyninger 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
124
1 in 2,764,148
Census rank
#150,935
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
108
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 108 bearers of the surname Wiyninger in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150935th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiyninger, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wiyninger
The surname Wiyninger traces its origins to the German-speaking regions of Europe, specifically in the regions now known as Germany and Switzerland. The etymology of Wiyninger can be traced back to the Middle Low German dialect, with roots in the word wîn meaning "wine". The suffix -inger typically denotes a geographical connection or an inhabitant of a place. Therefore, Wiyninger suggests a toponymic origin, indicating “someone from a place associated with wine," likely a vineyard or wine-producing region.
Historical references to this surname can be found as early as the 13th century in records from the Holy Roman Empire, a federation that covered much of Central Europe. The name appears in various spellings in several medieval manuscripts, reflecting the fluidity of spelling conventions during this period. Variations such as Winiger, Winninger, and Weyniger can all be tied to the same root and geographical associations.
The earliest recorded instance of a person with a surname resembling Wiyninger is Johannes Winiger, who appears in a 1290 tax document from the city of Mainz, a key center for viticulture along the Rhine River. Another early instance is Otto de Weyniger, recorded in 1347 in the annals of Zurich, indicating the movement of families and the spread of the name within German-speaking territories.
In the 15th century, Heinrich Winiger, born in 1415 and a noted merchant, is recorded in Swiss municipal archives as a significant trader in wine, emphasizing the occupational link suggested by the name's etymology. Moving into the 17th century, the name continues to appear in records, such as Konrad Winninger, a landowner in the Bavarian regions noted in a 1652 land registry.
By the 18th century, the name variation Wiyninger had become more standardized in spelling. Wilhelm Wiyninger, born in 1738 and a prominent figure in Stuttgart’s local governance, exemplifies the name's stability and continued presence in documentation. The record of Karl Wiyninger, born in 1795, known for his contributions to viticulture in the Rhine valley, shows the occupational influence the name retained over centuries.
Famous individuals with this surname are sparse, but notable historical figures include Jakob Wiyninger, a renowned winemaker from the Württemberg region in the 1800s. His legacy includes significant advancements in wine production techniques, cementing the association of the Wiyninger name with the viticultural profession. Later records from the late 19th century, such as those of Friedrich Wiyninger, born in 1842, a noted geographer and author, highlight the name's expansion into varied professions beyond its original association.
The surname Wiyninger, with its linguistic roots and historical ties to the wine-producing regions of Germany and Switzerland, offers a fascinating glimpse into the lives and movements of people through medieval to modern Europe. The variations in spelling and the diverse professions of noted individuals bearing this name underscore the adaptive and enduring nature of surnames in capturing human history.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wiyninger
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiyninger, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (6.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wiyninger 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 Wiyninger surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White83.3% · 90
- Hispanic or Latino7.4% · 8
- Two or more races6.5% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wiyninger
Wiyninger appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#150,935
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
+2 bearers (+1.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 2,834 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #150,935 | 108 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.9%) | Up 2,834 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 Wiyninger 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 | #153,769 | #150,935 | 1.8% |
| Count | 106 | 108 | 1.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -9.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wiyninger bearers went from 106 to 108 (+1.9% change). The surname moved up 2,834 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #150,935.
FAQ
Wiyninger surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wiyninger?
Name Census estimates that about 124 living Americans carry the surname Wiyninger. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,764,148 residents.
How common is Wiyninger?
Wiyninger ranks #150,935 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 108 people with the surname Wiyninger. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (124), 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 Wiyninger.
Has Wiyninger become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wiyninger went from 106 recorded bearers to 108. That is an increase of 2 (+1.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #150,935.
What does the Census say about the background of Wiyninger?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wiyninger, the largest self-reported group is White at 83.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.4%) and Two or More Races (6.5%). 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 Wiyninger in the 2020 Census, accounting for 83.3% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wiyninger appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (83.3%), Hispanic (7.4%), Two or More Races (6.5%). 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 Wiyninger (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 Wiyninger mean?
A surname possibly referring to someone from the German town of Weingarten or meaning "vineyard worker". 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 Wiyninger (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 Americans have the surname Wiyninger?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.