2000
#6,145
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,133
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.90
Rare Last name
Wrenn
Derived from a nickname for a wren, a small, lively bird, or from a place name meaning "wren hill."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,597 Americans carry the last name Wrenn. That puts it at #6,645 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 61,239 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wrenn 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 Wrenn with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.6K
1 in 61,239
Census rank
#6,645
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,881 bearers of the surname Wrenn in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6645th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrenn, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wrenn
The surname Wrenn has its origins in England, with the earliest records dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "wrenna," which means a small bird, specifically a wren. This suggests that the name may have originally been a nickname given to someone who was considered small or nimble like a wren.
Historically, the name Wrenn can be found in various medieval records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention a William Wrenne in Oxfordshire. The Pipe Rolls of 1230 also list a Henry Wrenne in Cambridgeshire. These early references provide evidence of the name's existence and its connection to certain regions of England.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327 with entries for a John Wrenne in Worcestershire and a Thomas Wrenne in Leicestershire. This indicates the gradual spread of the surname across different counties in England during that period.
One notable figure bearing the surname Wrenn was Christopher Wren (1632-1723), the renowned English architect responsible for designing St. Paul's Cathedral in London after the Great Fire of 1666. He was also a professor of astronomy at Oxford University and a significant figure in the scientific revolution of the 17th century.
Another individual of historical significance was Sir Christopher Wren (1589-1658), the father of the famous architect and a distinguished mathematician and clergyman who served as the Dean of Windsor from 1635 until his death.
In the literary world, Mary Wrenn (1904-1968) was an American author and educator known for her works on English literature, including her book "Beowulf with the Finnesburg Fragment," published in 1953.
Matthew Wren (1585-1667) was an English clergyman who served as the Bishop of Ely and played a prominent role in the religious and political conflicts of the 17th century, including his involvement in the trial of Archbishop William Laud.
Matthew Wren (1629-1670), the son of the Bishop of Ely, was a noted English politician and member of parliament during the Commonwealth period, serving as the Secretary of State for the southern department under Charles II.
While the surname Wrenn originated in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world due to migration and the colonial expansion of the British Empire. However, its roots can be traced back to the English countryside, where it likely began as a descriptive nickname for someone with wren-like qualities or characteristics.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wrenn
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrenn, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Wrenn 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 Wrenn surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White79.2% · 3,868
- Black or African American14.1% · 687
- Two or more races3.2% · 156
- Hispanic or Latino2.5% · 121
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 27
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wrenn
Wrenn 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
#6,566
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,160
+27 bearers (+0.5%)
Per 100,000 1.75
Rank movement Down 421 places
2020
#6,645
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,881
-279 bearers (-5.4%)
Per 100,000 1.63
Rank movement Down 79 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,145 | 5,133 | 1.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,566 | 5,160 | 1.75 | +27 bearers (+0.5%) | Down 421 places |
| 2020 | #6,645 | 4,881 | 1.63 | -279 bearers (-5.4%) | Down 79 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 Wrenn 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 | #6,566 | #6,645 | -1.2% |
| Count | 5,160 | 4,881 | -5.4% |
| Per 100K | 1.75 | 1.63 | -6.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wrenn bearers went from 5,160 to 4,881 (-5.4% change). The surname moved down 79 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,566 to #6,645.
FAQ
Wrenn surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wrenn?
Name Census estimates that about 5,597 living Americans carry the surname Wrenn. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 61,239 residents.
How common is Wrenn?
Wrenn ranks #6,645 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.63 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,881 people with the surname Wrenn. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,597), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.63 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.63 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Wrenn.
Has Wrenn become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wrenn went from 5,160 recorded bearers to 4,881. That is a decrease of 279 (-5.4%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,566 to #6,645.
What does the Census say about the background of Wrenn?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrenn, the largest self-reported group is White at 79.2%. The next largest groups are Black (14.1%) and Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Wrenn in the 2020 Census, accounting for 79.2% (3,868 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wrenn appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (79.2%), Black (14.1%), Two or More Races (3.2%). 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 Wrenn (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 Wrenn mean?
Derived from a nickname for a wren, a small, lively bird, or from a place name meaning "wren hill." 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 Wrenn (1.63 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 surname Wrenn?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.