2000
#150,436
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wulfeck
A surname derived from the German words "wolf" and "eck" meaning "wolf's corner" or "wolf's territory."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Wulfeck. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wulfeck 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Wulfeck in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wulfeck
The surname Wulfeck originates from Germany, likely emerging during the medieval period. Germany, with its rich history of surnames derived from personal characteristics, occupations, and geographical features, provides the perfect backdrop for understanding the etymology of Wulfeck. The name is derived from the German words "wolf," meaning the animal wolf, and "eck," which could imply a corner or place. The combination suggests the meaning "wolf corner" or "wolf's place," indicating a location where wolves were known to inhabit or gather.
Wulfeck may have been used to describe people who lived near such places or perhaps those who exhibited characteristics associated with wolves, such as bravery or fierceness. As surnames became hereditary in the late Middle Ages, Wulfeck would have been passed down through generations, solidifying its presence in regional records.
The name Wulfeck appears in several historical documents from German-speaking regions. One of the earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the 14th century, where a certain Hans Wulfeck is noted in municipal records of Hamburg around 1372. Such documents were critical in keeping track of citizens, their properties, and their contributions to the community. Hans Wulfeck's presence in these records suggests he was a notable figure in his locality.
In the 16th century, the Wulfeck surname appears again in church records in Bavaria. Johann Wulfeck, born in 1540, is listed as a prominent landowner and local council member in the town of Augsburg. His involvement in municipal decisions and landholdings marked the surname's association with influence and community leadership.
The 17th century witnessed the spread of the surname beyond Germany, as members of the Wulfeck family migrated to new regions. For instance, Georg Wulfeck, born in 1625, moved to Switzerland, where he established a mercantile business in Zurich. His success and integration into Swiss society demonstrate how the Wulfeck name adapted and persisted through different European cultures.
By the 18th century, records indicate the presence of the Wulfeck name in military contexts. Ludwig Wulfeck, born in 1701, served as an officer in the Prussian army under Frederick the Great. His military career, documented in various regimental histories, highlights the bravery and strategic acumen associated with the name. It also signifies the diverse roles individuals with this surname undertook.
Towards the end of the 18th century, the Wulfeck name appears in German-American emigrant records. Friedrich Wulfeck, born in 1775, emigrated to the United States in 1798. He settled in Pennsylvania, where he became a farmer and contributed to the local community's growth. His journey marked the beginning of the Wulfeck surname's presence in the New World, where it would continue to flourish.
Throughout history, the surname Wulfeck has been associated with notable figures who contributed to their communities in various ways, from landownership and local governance to military service and entrepreneurship. The name's origins in the Germanic regions, evolving from terms related to wolves and locations, provide a rich linguistic and historical context for understanding its significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wulfeck
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Wulfeck 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 Wulfeck surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.0% · 110
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wulfeck
Wulfeck 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
+6 bearers (+6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,333 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+11 bearers (+10.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 9,499 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #150,436 | 100 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+6.0%) | Down 3,333 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +11 bearers (+10.4%) | Up 9,499 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 Wulfeck 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 | #144,270 | 6.2% |
| Count | 106 | 117 | 10.4% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wulfeck bearers went from 106 to 117 (+10.4% change). The surname moved up 9,499 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #144,270.
FAQ
Wulfeck surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wulfeck?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Wulfeck. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Wulfeck?
Wulfeck ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Wulfeck. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Wulfeck.
Has Wulfeck become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wulfeck went from 106 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 11 (+10.4%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Wulfeck?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfeck, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Wulfeck in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.0% (110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wulfeck appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.0%), Hispanic (1.7%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%). 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 Wulfeck (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 Wulfeck mean?
A surname derived from the German words "wolf" and "eck" meaning "wolf's corner" or "wolf's territory." 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 Wulfeck (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 have the last name Wulfeck?
Find out how common the surname Wulfeck is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.