2000
#93,841
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 181
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.07
Very Rare Last name
Wrighten
An English surname derived from the Old English "wright," meaning a maker or builder.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 258 Americans carry the last name Wrighten. That puts it at #88,580 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.08 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,328,505 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wrighten 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
258
1 in 1,328,505
Census rank
#88,580
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
225
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 225 bearers of the surname Wrighten in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.08 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 88580th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrighten, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wrighten
The surname Wrighten is believed to have originated in England, tracing back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "writere" or "wryhta," meaning a maker or builder. Early on, the name likely indicated a person's occupation, often related to crafting or construction. This etymology is closely related to surnames like Wright and Wrightson, all pointing to a common occupational origin.
Wrighten appears to have been more concentrated in areas with significant medieval construction and craftsmanship, such as in the East Midlands and parts of Northern England. As an occupational surname, it would follow the migration patterns of skilled laborers, appearing in various regions where building and craftsmanship were in demand.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Wrighten can be traced back to the 13th century, appearing in local parish records and town inventories. Spelling variations such as Wryghten and Wreyghten can be found in historical documents, showcasing the fluidity of spelling practices in medieval England. An example is Thomas Wreyghten, who appears in a Yorkshire tax record from 1327.
In the 15th century, the name appears in the "Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield,” where a John Wrighten was mentioned in 1476. These references highlight the standing of the Wrighten name within local communities. Such records offer valuable insights into the medieval society where surnames began to stabilize and gain hereditary status.
Several prominent individuals have carried the surname Wrighten across history. Alexander Wrighten, born in 1585, served as a guild master in London, a notable position reflecting his standing in the community. Another was Samuel Wrighten, an English silversmith born in 1643, known for his craftsmanship and contributions to the art of silverworking. Elizabeth Wrighten, an English actress and singer born in 1750, gained fame for her performances in London's theaters, making her one of the first women with this surname to achieve public recognition.
In the early 19th century, Reverend Jonathan Wrighten, born in 1782, played a significant role within the Anglican Church, notably working on charitable education projects in Northern England. His efforts left a lasting impact on the communities he served. Lastly, Eleanor Wrighten, a reformist and women's rights advocate born in 1825, emerged as a prominent figure during the mid-19th century, championing causes that would eventually lead to greater societal changes.
The surname Wrighten, deeply rooted in English history, reveals much about the cultural and occupational shifts over centuries. Its etymological origins and historical references underscore the enduring legacy of skilled labor and craftsmanship, echoing through the lives of those who bore the name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wrighten
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrighten, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Wrighten 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 Wrighten surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American84.4% · 190
- Two or more races7.1% · 16
- Hispanic or Latino4.4% · 10
- White1.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.3% · 3
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wrighten
Wrighten 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
#84,136
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 223
+42 bearers (+23.2%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Up 9,705 places
2020
#88,580
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 225
+2 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.08
Rank movement Down 4,444 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #93,841 | 181 | 0.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #84,136 | 223 | 0.08 | +42 bearers (+23.2%) | Up 9,705 places |
| 2020 | #88,580 | 225 | 0.08 | +2 bearers (+0.9%) | Down 4,444 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 Wrighten 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 | #84,136 | #88,580 | -5.3% |
| Count | 223 | 225 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.08 | 0.08 | -5.9% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wrighten bearers went from 223 to 225 (+0.9% change). The surname moved down 4,444 positions in the national ranking, going from #84,136 to #88,580.
FAQ
Wrighten surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wrighten?
Name Census estimates that about 258 living Americans carry the surname Wrighten. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,328,505 residents.
How common is Wrighten?
Wrighten ranks #88,580 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.08 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 225 people with the surname Wrighten. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (258), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.08 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.08 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 Wrighten.
Has Wrighten become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wrighten went from 223 recorded bearers to 225. That is an increase of 2 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #84,136 to #88,580.
What does the Census say about the background of Wrighten?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wrighten, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (4.4%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wrighten in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.4% (190 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wrighten appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (84.4%), Two or More Races (7.1%), Hispanic (4.4%). 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 Wrighten (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 Wrighten mean?
An English surname derived from the Old English "wright," meaning a maker or builder. 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 Wrighten (0.08 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 Wrighten?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.