2010
#158,432
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 102
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Woghiren
A surname of Nigerian origin meaning "the people" or "the villagers".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 133 Americans carry the last name Woghiren. 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 Woghiren 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 Woghiren 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 Woghiren, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Woghiren
The surname Woghiren has its origins in the Edo region of Nigeria, specifically within the Benin Kingdom, which dates back to the 13th century. The name is linked to the Edo people, who are indigenous to this area and have a rich cultural history. The genealogical roots of Woghiren can be traced to the noble and chieftaincy titles from the Benin Kingdom, often associated with prominence and leadership within the community.
The word Woghiren itself is derived from the Edo language, an evolving dialect that incorporated ancient Bini words. In the Edo language, the root "Wor" often implies proximity or association with royalty or nobility, while "Ghiren" can be interpreted as a marker of distinction, signifying a person of remarkable status or achievement. Thus, the name Woghiren can be loosely translated to mean "one associated with nobility or distinction."
Historical records do not feature many written references to the Woghiren name in European texts, likely due to the oral nature of record-keeping in traditional Benin society. Nonetheless, various oral traditions and local records reference the Woghiren family in the context of chieftaincy titles and land ownership. This is particularly noted in the 17th and 18th centuries when the Benin Kingdom was at its zenith, engaging in extensive trade networks and political influence across West Africa.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname is from the mid-1700s, documenting Chief Omo-Osagie Woghiren, a prominent figure who served in the inner council of the Oba of Benin. Born around 1720 and passing in 1790, his leadership was instrumental in maintaining the kingdom's stability during tumultuous times.
In the early 1900s, another notable figure was Izoduwa Woghiren, an influential merchant and local leader born in 1885. His commercial ventures significantly contributed to the economy of the Benin region, and records show his involvement in the trade of significant commodities like palm oil and textiles until his death in 1950.
Throughout the 20th century, the Woghiren name continued to hold social and political significance. For instance, Sir Victor Woghiren, born in 1932, became known for his diplomatic efforts in Nigeria’s post-independence era, particularly during his tenure as an ambassador in the 1970s.
In more recent history, yet still within the bounds of historical documentation, Victoria Woghiren, born in 1950 and known for her advocacy in education reform, made significant contributions in the 1980s and 1990s, particularly focusing on improving literacy rates in rural Edo communities.
Lastly, Benjamin Woghiren, born in 1955, is noted for his academic contributions as an esteemed historian, publishing numerous works on Edo history and culture. His research has been pivotal in preserving the heritage of the Benin Kingdom, earning him recognition in scholarly circles up until his death in 2010.
The surname Woghiren encapsulates a rich heritage marked by nobility, leadership, and significant contributions to both local and broader societal frameworks, deeply rooted in the history and culture of the Edo people of Nigeria.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Woghiren
Among Census respondents with the surname Woghiren, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Woghiren 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 Woghiren surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American98.3% · 114
- White1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Woghiren
Woghiren 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
#145,028
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+14 bearers (+13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,404 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #158,432 | 102 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #145,028 | 116 | 0.04 | +14 bearers (+13.7%) | Up 13,404 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 Woghiren 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 | #158,432 | #145,028 | 8.5% |
| Count | 102 | 116 | 13.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 29.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Woghiren bearers went from 102 to 116 (+13.7% change). The surname moved up 13,404 positions in the national ranking, going from #158,432 to #145,028.
FAQ
Woghiren surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Woghiren?
Name Census estimates that about 133 living Americans carry the surname Woghiren. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,577,100 residents.
How common is Woghiren?
Woghiren 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 Woghiren. 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 Woghiren.
Has Woghiren become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Woghiren went from 102 recorded bearers to 116. That is an increase of 14 (+13.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #158,432 to #145,028.
What does the Census say about the background of Woghiren?
Among Census respondents with the surname Woghiren, the largest self-reported group is Black at 98.3%. The next largest groups are White (1.7%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Woghiren in the 2020 Census, accounting for 98.3% (114 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Woghiren appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (98.3%), White (1.7%). 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 Woghiren (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 Woghiren mean?
A surname of Nigerian origin meaning "the people" or "the villagers". 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 Woghiren (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 Woghiren?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Woghiren, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.