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

Wren, 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 Wren surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wren in America

Wren is the 3220th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wren surname appeared 11,211 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Wren.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wren 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 Wren

The surname Wren is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word "wrænna" or "wrænne," which referred to the small songbird known as the wren. This name likely originated as a nickname for someone who was considered small or insignificant, much like the tiny wren. Alternatively, it could have been an occupational surname for someone who caught or sold wrens.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname Wren dates back to the 13th century, appearing in the Hundred Rolls of Buckinghamshire in 1273 as "Wrenne." The Hundred Rolls were census-like surveys conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Wren was Christopher Wren, the renowned English architect who was responsible for designing many iconic buildings, including St. Paul's Cathedral in London. He was born in 1632 and died in 1723.

Another notable figure with the surname Wren was Sir Christopher Wren, the nephew of the famous architect. He served as a Member of Parliament and held various positions in the English government during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Matthew Wren, who lived from 1585 to 1667, was an English clergyman and scholar. He served as the Bishop of Ely and played a significant role in the Church of England during the tumultuous period of the English Civil War.

In the 16th century, there are records of a place called Wren's Green in Worcestershire, which may have derived its name from individuals with the surname Wren living in the area.

The surname Wren has also been associated with various spellings over time, such as Wrenne, Wrenne, and Wrin. These variations were common due to the inconsistent spelling practices of earlier periods.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Wren, including the American architect William Wren (1677-1737), the English painter and engraver Paul Wren (1756-1795), and the British politician Percy Wren (1875-1945).

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wren

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

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 Wren 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 Wren 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 Wren was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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