2000
#48,567
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 408
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.15
Very Rare Last name
Wonnacott
A habitational surname originating from a place named Wonnacott in England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 539 Americans carry the last name Wonnacott. That puts it at #48,549 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 635,908 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wonnacott 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wonnacott with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
539
1 in 635,908
Census rank
#48,549
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
470
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 470 bearers of the surname Wonnacott in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 48549th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wonnacott, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wonnacott
The surname Wonnacott has its origins in England, specifically in the southwest regions of Devon and Cornwall. The name is believed to have been derived from the Old English words "wynn" and "cote," which translate to "pleasant" and "cottage" respectively. This implies that the original bearers of the name may have lived in or near a pleasant cottage or a desirable piece of land.
One of the earliest mentions of a name resembling Wonnacott appears in medieval records from the 12th and 13th centuries. Historical manuscripts from this period reference a place named "Winnicott" or "Wynnekott," suggesting that the surname's origins are closely tied to geographic locations rather than occupational or descriptive origins. These early records highlight the prevalence of the name in the West Country of England, emphasizing its roots in Devon and Cornwall.
The earliest recorded example of someone with the surname Wonnacott dates back to the year 1273, where a Richard de Wynnekot is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Devonshire. This indicates that the surname has been in use for nearly a millennium, deeply embedded in the local history and culture of the region. Other variations of the name appearing in historical documents include "Wynnecote" and "Wynnekot," reflecting the fluid spelling conventions of the time.
Among notable individuals bearing the surname Wonnacott, one can find John Wonnacott (1543-1614), a merchant from Devon who made a significant impact on local trade during the Elizabethan era. Another figure of historical importance is Thomas Wonnacott (1745-1823), a farmer and community leader in Cornwall whose descendants played prominent roles in regional politics and agriculture.
In the 19th century, the name gained further recognition through George Wonnacott (1820-1885), a respected schoolmaster and educational reformer in Devon. His contributions to the local education system were well-documented in civic records and remain a point of pride for those researching the history of the surname.
More recently, Eric Wonnacott (1905-1972) emerged as a distinguished author and historian, contributing extensively to the understanding of Devon and Cornwall's heritage. His works remain influential in historical circles and continue to inspire genealogists and historians alike.
In conclusion, the surname Wonnacott is inherently tied to its geographical roots in Devon and Cornwall, with a rich history that spans several centuries. Its origins in Old English language highlight the connection to a pleasant dwelling or cottage, and its presence in historical records underscores the enduring legacy of this distinctive surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wonnacott
Among Census respondents with the surname Wonnacott, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Wonnacott 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 Wonnacott surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 428
- Hispanic or Latino3.2% · 15
- Two or more races3.0% · 14
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 7
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 4
- Black or African American0.4% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wonnacott
Wonnacott 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
#47,186
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 450
+42 bearers (+10.3%)
Per 100,000 0.15
Rank movement Up 1,381 places
2020
#48,549
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 470
+20 bearers (+4.4%)
Per 100,000 0.16
Rank movement Down 1,363 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #48,567 | 408 | 0.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #47,186 | 450 | 0.15 | +42 bearers (+10.3%) | Up 1,381 places |
| 2020 | #48,549 | 470 | 0.16 | +20 bearers (+4.4%) | Down 1,363 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 Wonnacott 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 | #47,186 | #48,549 | -2.9% |
| Count | 450 | 470 | 4.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.16 | 4.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wonnacott bearers went from 450 to 470 (+4.4% change). The surname moved down 1,363 positions in the national ranking, going from #47,186 to #48,549.
FAQ
Wonnacott surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wonnacott?
Name Census estimates that about 539 living Americans carry the surname Wonnacott. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 635,908 residents.
How common is Wonnacott?
Wonnacott ranks #48,549 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.16 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 470 people with the surname Wonnacott. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (539), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.16 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 Wonnacott.
Has Wonnacott become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wonnacott went from 450 recorded bearers to 470. That is an increase of 20 (+4.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #47,186 to #48,549.
What does the Census say about the background of Wonnacott?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wonnacott, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.2%) and Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Wonnacott in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (428 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wonnacott appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Hispanic (3.2%), Two or More Races (3.0%). 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 Wonnacott (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 Wonnacott mean?
A habitational surname originating from a place named Wonnacott in England. 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 Wonnacott (0.16 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 Wonnacott?
See how many people have the last name Wonnacott on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.