2000
#142,819
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 107
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wolfsohn
A German surname indicating descent from the son of someone named Wolf.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Wolfsohn. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wolfsohn 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
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Wolfsohn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolfsohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and Hispanic (7.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wolfsohn
The surname Wolfsohn has its origins in the German-speaking regions of Central Europe, particularly in Germany and parts of Eastern Europe such as Poland. The name first emerged during the medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. It is a patronymic surname, meaning that it is derived from the given name of an ancestor. In this case, the name is derived from "Wolf," a common given name in Germanic cultures. The suffix "sohn" means "son of," thus Wolfsohn translates to "son of Wolf."
Wolf, as a given name, was quite prevalent in medieval Europe. It is derived from the Germanic word "wulf," which signifies the animal wolf. This naming convention was often used to signify bravery, strength, or agility—qualities associated with the wolf. Combining this with "sohn" resulted in the surname which indicates lineage.
The earliest records of the Wolfsohn surname can be found in medieval manuscripts and regional tax records. One of the earliest mentions dates back to the 14th century in Bavaria, Germany. Over time, the surname spread to other parts of Europe, particularly with the migration of Jewish communities, who often adopted surnames based on local customs and languages.
One notable historical reference to the surname is found in the figure of Moses Wolfsohn, a Jewish scholar and poet from Eastern Europe in the late 18th century. Born in 1756 and passing away in 1837, he contributed significantly to Jewish literature and culture of that era.
Another significant individual was Michael Wolfsohn, an influential banker and philanthropist in 19th century Germany. His contributions to finance and his philanthropic activities had a lasting impact on his community.
Lina Wolfsohn, born in 1882 and known for her pioneering work in education, made significant strides in reforming the schooling systems in early 20th century Poland. Her innovative methods and dedication to education left an indelible mark on the field.
In the realm of science, Heinrich Wolfsohn was a prominent chemist in the early 20th century, known for his research in organic chemistry. His work garnered considerable attention in academic circles during his lifetime.
Elias Wolfsohn, a rabbi and historian from the late 19th century, made notable contributions to the documentation and study of Jewish history and traditions. His written works remain valuable resources for historians and scholars.
The surname Wolfsohn, thus rooted in Germanic and Jewish traditions, carries a legacy of strength and intellectual achievement, as evidenced by these historical figures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wolfsohn
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolfsohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and Hispanic (7.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Wolfsohn 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 Wolfsohn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.2% · 85
- Two or more races9.4% · 10
- Hispanic or Latino7.5% · 8
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wolfsohn
Wolfsohn 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
#144,141
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 115
+8 bearers (+7.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 1,322 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-9 bearers (-7.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,198 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #142,819 | 107 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #144,141 | 115 | 0.04 | +8 bearers (+7.5%) | Down 1,322 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -9 bearers (-7.8%) | Down 8,198 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 Wolfsohn 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 | #144,141 | #152,339 | -5.7% |
| Count | 115 | 106 | -7.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wolfsohn bearers went from 115 to 106 (-7.8% change). The surname moved down 8,198 positions in the national ranking, going from #144,141 to #152,339.
FAQ
Wolfsohn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wolfsohn?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Wolfsohn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Wolfsohn?
Wolfsohn ranks #152,339 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 106 people with the surname Wolfsohn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), 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 Wolfsohn.
Has Wolfsohn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wolfsohn went from 115 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 9 (-7.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #144,141 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Wolfsohn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wolfsohn, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.2%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.4%) and Hispanic (7.5%). 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 Wolfsohn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.2% (85 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wolfsohn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.2%), Two or More Races (9.4%), Hispanic (7.5%). 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 Wolfsohn (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 Wolfsohn mean?
A German surname indicating descent from the son of someone named Wolf. 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 Wolfsohn (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 share the surname Wolfsohn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.