Find out how popular the last name Wolfskill is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Wolfskill.

Wolfskill, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Wolfskill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wolfskill in America

Wolfskill is the 80926th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wolfskill surname appeared 234 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wolfskill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wolfskill to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Wolfskill

The surname Wolfskill likely originates from Germany, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the German words "wolf," meaning wolf, and "skill," which may be traced to the Old Norse word "skil," meaning knowledge or distinction. This suggests the surname originally designated someone with skills or attributes akin to a wolf, perhaps a hunter or a warrior.

The earliest recorded mention of the surname can be traced back to the 13th century in medieval German records, where variations like Wolfschilde and Wulfskil appeared. These early forms offer insight into the phonetic spellings and regional dialects of that time.

One of the earliest known individuals bearing the surname was Hans Wolfskill, recorded in a 1375 tax record from the Duchy of Bavaria. He was a landholder and involved in local governance, indicating the name was associated with some degree of social status.

The surname appears in historical documents from different parts of Germany. In a 1421 legal manuscript from the region of Thuringia, a Wilhelm Wolfskill was mentioned as a witness in a property dispute, suggesting the name's spread across various German territories.

By the 17th century, the name began appearing in English records, likely due to migration during the Thirty Years' War. One notable figure was Johann George Wolfskill, who emigrated to England in the early 1600s and established himself as a merchant in London. His descendants continued to flourish, with increased records of the name in parish registers.

In the early 19th century, William Wolfskill, born in Kentucky in 1798, became a prominent figure in American history. He moved to California and became known for his contributions to agriculture, specifically the introduction of the Valencia orange to American horticulture. His prominence solidified the Wolfskill surname in American records.

Throughout the 19th century, various members of the Wolfskill family became notable. Another significant figure was John Wolfskill, born in 1802, who played a key role in the early settlement of the western United States. His efforts in developing farming practices in California left a lasting legacy.

The name continued to establish itself across continents, with records in Australian and Canadian archives by the late 19th century. Charles Wolfskill, born in 1855 in New South Wales, became known for his work in railway engineering, contributing to the development of essential infrastructure.

Though not abundant, the surname's historical presence is well-documented across various regions and centuries, indicating a significant but modest lineage. Each recorded individual contributed to the spread and recognition of the surname, embedding it within the cultural and historical fabric of multiple nations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wolfskill

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Wolfskill.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Wolfskill was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Wolfskill has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Wolfskill was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wolfskill, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!