2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Woolrich
A habitational name for someone from a place called Woolrich.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 127 Americans carry the last name Woolrich. That puts it at #148,665 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,698,853 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Woolrich 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 Woolrich with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
127
1 in 2,698,853
Census rank
#148,665
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
111
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 111 bearers of the surname Woolrich in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 148665th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Woolrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Woolrich
The surname Woolrich is of English origin, with its roots tracing back to medieval England. It originates from the Old English words "wull" meaning wool and "ric" meaning rich or powerful. This etymology suggests that the name likely referred to someone who was prosperous or influential within the wool trade, an important industry in medieval England.
The name Woolrich first appeared in historical records in the early 14th century. One of the earliest mentions is found in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire dated 1332, where a John Woolrich is listed as a taxpayer. This indicates that the Woolrich family was well-established and of some means during this period.
Early spellings of the surname varied, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling at the time. Variations included Wolrich, Woolrych, and Wulriche. These alternative spellings can be found in various church registers and legal documents throughout the 14th and 15th centuries.
One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir Robert Woolrich, who lived during the 16th century. Born in 1530 and dying in 1585, Sir Robert was a prominent merchant in the wool trade, and his contributions to the industry were recognized with a knighthood by Queen Elizabeth I. His success helped to elevate the status of the Woolrich family during the Elizabethan era.
Another significant person with the Woolrich surname was Thomas Woolrich, an early settler in the American colonies. Born in 1610 in England, he emigrated to Massachusetts in 1635. Thomas contributed to the development of the early colonial wool industry, playing a vital role in the fledgling economy of the New England colonies. He passed away in 1675, leaving a legacy of enterprise and industry.
In the 18th century, the Woolrich family produced Dr. Samuel Woolrich, a noted physician who was born in 1738 in London. Dr. Woolrich was renowned for his medical writings and contributions to the advancement of medical science during his lifetime, which ended in 1802. His works were often cited by his contemporaries and influenced medical practices of the time.
A famous Woolrich from the 19th century was John Woolrich, an inventor born in 1822. John Woolrich is credited with several innovations in textile machinery, which greatly enhanced the efficiency of wool processing. His inventions were widely adopted in textile mills across Britain and contributed significantly to the Industrial Revolution. He passed away in 1889, leaving a lasting impact on the textile industry.
By the 20th century, the Woolrich name continued to be associated with textile expertise. Edwin Woolrich, born in 1885, was a key figure in the establishment of Woolrich, Inc., a company founded in 1845 that became famous for its durable outdoor clothing and woolen products. Under Edwin’s leadership, the company expanded its product line and gained international recognition. He died in 1963, but the brand he helped to flourish remains known globally.
The surname Woolrich has a rich history deeply intertwined with the development of the wool industry. From its origins in medieval England to its association with influential figures in trade, medicine, and invention, the name reflects a legacy of prosperity, expertise, and innovation.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Woolrich
Among Census respondents with the surname Woolrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Woolrich 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 Woolrich surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White67.6% · 75
- Hispanic or Latino24.3% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.7% · 3
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.8% · 2
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Woolrich
Woolrich 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
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,861 places
2020
#148,665
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+5 bearers (+4.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 5,104 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Down 8,861 places |
| 2020 | #148,665 | 111 | 0.04 | +5 bearers (+4.7%) | Up 5,104 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 Woolrich 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 | #153,769 | #148,665 | 3.3% |
| Count | 106 | 111 | 4.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -7.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Woolrich bearers went from 106 to 111 (+4.7% change). The surname moved up 5,104 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #148,665.
FAQ
Woolrich surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Woolrich?
Name Census estimates that about 127 living Americans carry the surname Woolrich. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,698,853 residents.
How common is Woolrich?
Woolrich ranks #148,665 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 111 people with the surname Woolrich. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (127), 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 Woolrich.
Has Woolrich become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Woolrich went from 106 recorded bearers to 111. That is an increase of 5 (+4.7%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #148,665.
What does the Census say about the background of Woolrich?
Among Census respondents with the surname Woolrich, the largest self-reported group is White at 67.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.3%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%). 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?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Woolrich in the 2020 Census, accounting for 67.6% (75 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Woolrich appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (67.6%), Hispanic (24.3%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2.7%). 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 Woolrich (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 Woolrich mean?
A habitational name for someone from a place called Woolrich. 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 Woolrich (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 Woolrich?
Find out how many people are called Woolrich on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.