2000
#129,619
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Woerman
A German surname possibly of occupational origin, referring to someone involved in shipping, transportation, or cargo handling.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 123 Americans carry the last name Woerman. 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 Woerman 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 Woerman 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 Woerman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Woerman
The surname Woerman traces its origins to Germany, likely emerging in the medieval period between the late 12th and early 13th centuries. The name is believed to have been derived from the Old High German words 'wer' meaning 'man' and 'mann' which also means 'man,' often implying a strong or reputable man. The regions where this surname was primarily found include Saxony and Westphalia, areas known for their dense populations and abundant trade routes.
The surname Woerman first appeared in historical documents and legal manuscripts from the 14th century. An early recorded example is found in the records of the Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in Northwestern and Central Europe. The spelling variations in these records include Worman and Wurman, reflecting phonetic spellings before the standardization of surnames.
One of the earliest known individuals with this surname is Johann Woerman, a merchant from Lübeck, born around 1385. He was noted in the Lübeck City Archives for his involvement in the wool trade, a thriving business during that period. Another historical figure is Dietrich Woerman, a blacksmith from Westphalia, who is recorded in the 1450 town registries of Dortmund. His expertise in metalwork was significant for the local economy, providing tools and armaments.
In the 16th century, Hans Woerman, born in 1510, became a notable figure as a Lutheran minister in the Saxony region. He played a crucial role during the Protestant Reformation, advocating for religious reforms and contributing to the local religious pamphlets. His sermons and writings provided insights into the socio-religious transitions in his community.
Later in the 18th century, Friedrich Woerman (born in 1742) is documented as a prominent artist in Aachen, with several of his works still displayed in local galleries and churches. His contributions to the baroque art style in Germany highlight the cultural significance of the Woerman family during this period.
In more recent historical references from the 19th century, Klaus Woerman (born 1820) was noted as an industrialist who helped modernize textile manufacturing processes in the region of Saxony. His innovations in weaving techniques were instrumental in advancing the local textile industry during the industrial revolution.
Surnames like Woerman provide a window into the past, revealing not just the origins of a family but also the historical and social contexts that shaped their lives. The Woerman lineage, through various professions and contributions, captures a vibrant history from medieval Europe to the cusp of the modern era.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Woerman
Among Census respondents with the surname Woerman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Woerman 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 Woerman surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.8% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino7.5% · 8
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Woerman
Woerman 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
#145,220
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-7 bearers (-5.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,601 places
2020
#151,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
-7 bearers (-6.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,419 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #129,619 | 121 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #145,220 | 114 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.8%) | Down 15,601 places |
| 2020 | #151,639 | 107 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-6.1%) | Down 6,419 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 Woerman 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 | #145,220 | #151,639 | -4.4% |
| Count | 114 | 107 | -6.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -10.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Woerman bearers went from 114 to 107 (-6.1% change). The surname moved down 6,419 positions in the national ranking, going from #145,220 to #151,639.
FAQ
Woerman surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Woerman?
Name Census estimates that about 123 living Americans carry the surname Woerman. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,786,621 residents.
How common is Woerman?
Woerman 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 Woerman. 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 Woerman.
Has Woerman become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Woerman went from 114 recorded bearers to 107. That is a decrease of 7 (-6.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #145,220 to #151,639.
What does the Census say about the background of Woerman?
Among Census respondents with the surname Woerman, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.8%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.5%) 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 Woerman in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.8% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Woerman appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.8%), Hispanic (7.5%), 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 Woerman (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 Woerman mean?
A German surname possibly of occupational origin, referring to someone involved in shipping, transportation, or cargo handling. 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 Woerman (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 Woerman?
You can see how many people have the surname Woerman on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.