2010
#140,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wulkan
A Polish occupational surname derived from the word "wulkan" meaning volcano or blacksmith.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Wulkan. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wulkan 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
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Wulkan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wulkan
The surname Wulkan has its origins in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in regions that are now part of Poland and Germany. It traces back to the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Old Germanic word "wulkan," meaning "volcano" or "fire." This connection likely refers to a person's occupation or a geographical feature near where they lived.
Historical references to the surname Wulkan can be found in various medieval documents and records. One of the earliest recorded instances appears in a Polish manuscript from the 14th century, detailing land grants in the region of Silesia. The name was often linked to individuals who worked with metal or fire, such as blacksmiths or metalworkers, due to its etymological roots.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname Wulkan is Hans Wulkan, born around 1365, a blacksmith from the Silesian region. His name appears in guild records detailing the tools and techniques used in metalworking at the time. Another notable person is Katarzyna Wulkan, a midwife in Kraków born in 1458, whose records are found in municipal birth registries.
Moving into the Renaissance period, the name appears in scholarly texts and trade documents. A well-documented figure is Marcin Wulkan, born in 1512, a merchant from Gdańsk who was involved in the Hanseatic League. His business dealings spanned across the Baltic region, and his name is recorded in various trade agreements and correspondences.
In the 17th century, the name appears in the context of religious and political conflicts. Samuel Wulkan, born in 1643, was a notable soldier who fought in the wars between Poland and Sweden. His military service is detailed in regimental ledgers and personal letters preserved in Polish archives.
By the 18th century, the name had spread to various parts of Europe due to migration and trade. Johan Wulkan, born in 1720, is recorded as a farmer and local council member in Brandenburg, Germany. His family's history and contributions to local governance are noted in regional histories and property records.
Throughout these periods, the surname Wulkan reflects a rich history intertwined with the socio-economic developments of Central and Eastern Europe, highlighting its enduring legacy and the various roles its bearers have played in their respective societies.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wulkan
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%.
The bar chart below shows how Wulkan 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 Wulkan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White100.0% · 112
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wulkan
Wulkan appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-7 bearers (-5.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,797 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #140,157 | 119 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -7 bearers (-5.9%) | Down 7,797 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 Wulkan 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 | #140,157 | #147,954 | -5.6% |
| Count | 119 | 112 | -5.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wulkan bearers went from 119 to 112 (-5.9% change). The surname moved down 7,797 positions in the national ranking, going from #140,157 to #147,954.
FAQ
Wulkan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wulkan?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Wulkan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Wulkan?
Wulkan ranks #147,954 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 112 people with the surname Wulkan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), 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 Wulkan.
Has Wulkan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wulkan went from 119 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 7 (-5.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #140,157 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Wulkan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wulkan, the largest self-reported group is White at 100.0%. 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 Wulkan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 100.0% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wulkan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (100.0%). 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 Wulkan (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 Wulkan mean?
A Polish occupational surname derived from the word "wulkan" meaning volcano or blacksmith. 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 Wulkan (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 Wulkan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.