2000
#146,011
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wojt
A Polish surname derived from the Polish word "wojt" meaning a village administrator or mayor.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 125 Americans carry the last name Wojt. That puts it at #150,205 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,742,035 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wojt 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
125
1 in 2,742,035
Census rank
#150,205
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
109
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 109 bearers of the surname Wojt in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 150205th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wojt, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wojt
The surname Wojt has its origins in Eastern Europe, specifically Poland. Wojt is derived from the Polish word "wojt," which means "village headman" or "chief." This term itself has roots in the Old High German word "vogt," which means "overseer" or "protector." The surname Wojt is closely related to the social structure of medieval Poland and reflects the administrative and communal roles individuals held within their respective communities.
In medieval Poland, the position of a wojt was crucial in local governance as they acted as the representative of the nobility or the ruling monarch in a village or town. They were responsible for various administrative duties, including tax collection, legal matters, and overseeing the enforcement of local regulations. Historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries frequently mention individuals with the title or surname Wojt, as these individuals played significant roles in the management of rural and small urban areas.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wojt can be traced back to the 14th century in Lesser Poland. A notable record involves Jan Wojt, who was documented as a village headman in 1385. His responsibilities included managing agricultural production and mediating disputes among villagers. This early mention underscores the enduring presence and function of the surname in Polish history.
Another historical figure bearing the surname Wojt is Stanisław Wojt, born in 1530, who served as the wojt of Kraków and was known for his contributions to the establishment of the city's municipal regulations. Stanisław’s effective administration during his tenure was noted in several town records, which highlighted his efforts in improving local infrastructure and public services.
During the 17th century, Piotr Wojt emerged as a prominent landowner and village headman in Mazovia. Born in 1610, Piotr Wojt’s leadership was critical during a period marked by political turbulence and war. His diplomatic acumen and strategic alliances ensured the protection and stability of his village, making his name a respected one in regional history.
Moving into the 18th century, Katarzyna Wojt, born in 1757 in Wielkopolska, became one of the few documented female headmen. Her tenure was marked by her pioneering work in agricultural innovation and community welfare programs. Her administration is particularly notable as it challenged the gender norms of the time, and her legacy is well-documented in local archives.
By the 19th century, as the Polish territories experienced various partitions and socio-political changes, the surname Wojt continued to be associated with leadership and community service. Antoni Wojt, born in 1824, is a significant figure from this era. As a village headman in the Galicia region under Austrian rule, Antoni navigated the complexities of foreign governance while maintaining traditional Polish customs. His efforts in education and healthcare reforms are commemorated in regional historical records.
The surname Wojt, steeped in history and connected to the socio-political fabric of Poland, reflects a lineage of leadership and community service. It continues to be a distinguished name, embodying a rich heritage of responsibility and governance that has evolved through centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wojt
Among Census respondents with the surname Wojt, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Wojt 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 Wojt surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White88.1% · 96
- Two or more races5.5% · 6
- Hispanic or Latino4.6% · 5
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wojt
Wojt 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+16 bearers (+15.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,783 places
2020
#150,205
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-11 bearers (-9.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,977 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #146,011 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +16 bearers (+15.4%) | Up 6,783 places |
| 2020 | #150,205 | 109 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-9.2%) | Down 10,977 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 Wojt 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 | #139,228 | #150,205 | -7.9% |
| Count | 120 | 109 | -9.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wojt bearers went from 120 to 109 (-9.2% change). The surname moved down 10,977 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #150,205.
FAQ
Wojt surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wojt?
Name Census estimates that about 125 living Americans carry the surname Wojt. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,742,035 residents.
How common is Wojt?
Wojt ranks #150,205 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 109 people with the surname Wojt. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (125), 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 Wojt.
Has Wojt become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wojt went from 120 recorded bearers to 109. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #150,205.
What does the Census say about the background of Wojt?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wojt, the largest self-reported group is White at 88.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (5.5%) and Hispanic (4.6%). 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 Wojt in the 2020 Census, accounting for 88.1% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wojt appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (88.1%), Two or More Races (5.5%), Hispanic (4.6%). 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 Wojt (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 Wojt mean?
A Polish surname derived from the Polish word "wojt" meaning a village administrator or mayor. 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 Wojt (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 Wojt?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.