Wroe last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of Wroe

A place surname likely derived from the location Wroe in Lancashire.

Wroe, 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 Wroe surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wroe in America

Wroe is the 49177th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wroe surname appeared 428 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Wroe.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wroe 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 49177 48877 0.61%
Count 428 405 5.52%
Proportion per 100k 0.15 0.15 0.00%

The history of the last name Wroe

The surname Wroe originates from England, with roots tracing back to the early medieval period. This name is primarily associated with the northern counties of England, particularly Yorkshire and Lancashire. The earliest documentation of the name appears in the 13th century, a time when surnames were becoming hereditary and reflecting familial or geographical connections.

The name Wroe is derived from the Old English word "wrā," which means corner or nook, suggesting that the original bearers of the name lived near a distinctive bend or corner in the landscape. This is indicative of a topographical surname, a common practice during the medieval era where geographical features influenced the naming conventions.

Historical manuscripts and records document the existence of the surname in various forms. The Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire, dated 1379, mention a Richard de Wrae, illustrating an early occurrence of the name in written records. The variation in spelling, such as Wrae and Wro, highlights the fluid orthographical practices of the time, before the standardization of the English language.

The earliest recorded example of the name in a significant document is found in the 1524 Lay Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire, where a Thomas Wroe is listed. This indicates the continuity and establishment of the surname in northern England over several centuries. Another early mention is of John Wroe in 1590, in the parish records of Halifax, Yorkshire, illustrating the spread of the name within the region.

The surname has been carried by several notable individuals throughout history. John Wroe, born in 1782 and died in 1863, was a prominent religious leader who founded the Christian Israelite Church. Another significant figure is Alfred Wroe, an English footballer born in 1872 who made substantial contributions to the sport during his career. Thomas Wroe, who was active in the 17th century, held a position as a merchant and was a notable citizen in the town of Leeds.

In addition to individuals, the surname Wroe is connected to certain place names and localities. For example, Wroe Hall in Lancashire, a historic estate, suggests the influence and establishment of the family in that area. The usage of the surname in various records from manorial rolls to tax documents underscores its historical presence and significance in the social fabric of medieval and early modern England.

Overall, the surname Wroe has deep roots in northern England with a significant historical presence documented through various records and notable individuals who bore the name, reflecting its long-standing legacy in British history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wroe

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

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 Wroe was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 89.49% 383
Non-Hispanic Black Only 3.50% 15
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races 3.97% 17
Hispanic Origin 2.10% 9

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 Wroe has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 89.49% 95.31% -6.30%
Black 3.50% 2.72% 25.08%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% (S)% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native (S)% 0.00% (S)%
Two or More Races 3.97% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 2.10% (S)% (S)%

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Wroe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/last-names/wroe-surname-popularity/.

"Wroe last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/wroe-surname-popularity/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Wroe last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/wroe-surname-popularity/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.