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

Wymes, 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 Wymes surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Wymes in America

Wymes is the 131379th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Wymes surname appeared 129 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 Wymes.

We can also compare 2010 data for Wymes 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.

The history of the last name Wymes

The surname Wymes has its origins in England, specifically deriving from the Old English and Old Norse languages. The earliest known origins of the Wymes name trace back to the medieval regions of Norfolk and Lincolnshire. Derived from the Old English word "wīm" meaning "a settling place" or from the Old Scandinavian "vím", indicating a suitable or selective location for settlement, the surname has had several recorded variations over time including Wymmes, Wymbs, and Wymbs’.

One of the earliest mentions of the surname Wymes appears in the Domesday Book of 1086, where the name Wimes is noted. This seminal record of land and resource ownership in England post-Norman conquest provides a crucial reference point in the history of English surnames. Over the centuries, records of the Wymes surname persisted, particularly in medieval administrative documents, parish records, and legal charters.

A significant historical figure with the surname is Roger de Wymes, a landowner in Norfolk recorded in the 13th century. He is noted for his contributions to local governance and through his possible interactions or agreements listed in local Assize Rolls around 1244. Additionally, Thomas Wymes, a prominent figure from the 14th century, was documented in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, an extensive census commissioned by King Edward I.

In the 15th century, another notable bearer of the surname was John Wymes, a merchant from Lincolnshire, who was involved in early English trade endeavours documented in the Merchant Guild records around the year 1450. His contributions to the commerce and regional trading systems highlight the prominence of the name in economic activities of the period.

Moving into the early modern period, Margaret Wymes, born in 1545, became notable in Cambridgeshire as a benefactor to local religious institutions and charities, and her contributions are recorded in various ecclesiastical records of the late 16th century. Her legacy persisted in the regional awareness of her philanthropic efforts.

A notable figure in the late 17th century was Sir William Wymes, knighted for his services to the Crown and known for his involvement in the military campaigns of the era. Sir William's legacy is preserved in several historical military documents and records dating back to the 1680s.

The history of the Wymes surname is marked by its evolution through different spellings and usage in medieval and early modern England. Its bearers were involved in land ownership, trade, governance, and religious philanthropy, which illustrate the broad societal contributions of the Wymes lineage through centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Wymes

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

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 Wymes was:

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

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

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wymes, 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!