2000
#144,908
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wulfers
A Low German surname meaning "wolf-servant" or someone who tended wolves.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Wulfers. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wulfers 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
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Wulfers in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfers, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wulfers
The surname Wulfers is of Germanic origin, deriving from Central and Northern Europe. It is believed to have roots in the early medieval period, around the 12th to 14th centuries. The name is particularly prevalent in regions that are now part of modern-day Germany and the Netherlands.
Wulfers is likely derived from the Old High German word "wulf," meaning "wolf," combined with the suffix "ers," which could denote patronymic lineage or possession. Similar to other surnames such as Wolf and Wolff, it is thought to have been a descriptive or occupational surname, perhaps originally given to someone who was known for qualities associated with wolves, such as bravery or cunning, or someone who worked with or hunted wolves.
Historical references to the surname Wulfers are sparse, but there are indications it may have appeared in parish records, land deeds, and legal documents in Germany during the late medieval period. One of the earliest recorded examples of the name can be found in a 13th-century Bavarian manuscript detailing local nobility and their estates.
Early documented individuals with the Wulfers surname include Heinrich Wulfers, born in 1432 in what is now the Lower Saxony region of Germany. He was a notable landowner and is mentioned in various tax records. Another early record highlights Margarethe Wulfers, born in 1501, who was a prominent figure in the Bremen area for her charitable work and contributions to the local church.
In the 17th century, Johann Wulfers (1618-1674) was a renowned jurist in Westphalia, whose legal writings were influential in shaping regional law. Another figure of note is Friedrich Wulfers, born in 1745 in Hamburg, who was a well-respected merchant and philanthropist known for his investments in public education.
Moving into the 19th century, Wilhelm Wulfers (1820-1885) made significant contributions to German literature as a poet and playwright. His works often focused on themes of nature and society and were well regarded during his time. Another distinguished individual was Clara Wulfers (1852-1910), an early advocate for women's rights in Prussia, who played a key role in the establishment of several women’s educational institutions.
The surname Wulfers has thus traversed centuries, with bearers of the name making their mark in various fields including law, literature, commerce, and social reform. Its etymological roots reflect a connection to qualities attributed to wolves, and its historical usage underscores a rich legacy within Germanic regions of Europe.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wulfers
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfers, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wulfers 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 Wulfers surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.5% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino4.8% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.9% · 2
- Two or more races1.9% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wulfers
Wulfers 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
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-1 bearers (-1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,136 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
+1 bearers (+1.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,055 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #144,908 | 105 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-1.0%) | Down 11,136 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+1.0%) | Up 3,055 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 Wulfers 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 | #156,044 | #152,989 | 2.0% |
| Count | 104 | 105 | 1.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wulfers bearers went from 104 to 105 (+1.0% change). The surname moved up 3,055 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #152,989.
FAQ
Wulfers surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wulfers?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Wulfers. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Wulfers?
Wulfers ranks #152,989 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 105 people with the surname Wulfers. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), 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 Wulfers.
Has Wulfers become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wulfers went from 104 recorded bearers to 105. That is an increase of 1 (+1.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Wulfers?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulfers, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.8%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Wulfers in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.5% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wulfers appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.5%), Hispanic (4.8%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.9%). 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 Wulfers (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 Wulfers mean?
A Low German surname meaning "wolf-servant" or someone who tended wolves. 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 Wulfers (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 share the surname Wulfers?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.