2000
#20,343
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,215
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.45
Rare Last name
Wynter
An English surname derived from Middle English referring to the winter season.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,123 Americans carry the last name Wynter. That puts it at #15,273 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 161,448 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Wynter 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Wynter with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.1K
1 in 161,448
Census rank
#15,273
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
1.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 1,851 bearers of the surname Wynter in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 15273rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Wynter, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and White (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wynter
The surname Wynter has its origins in England, dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "winter," referring to the cold season. The name likely started as a nickname for someone born during the winter months or for someone with a particularly harsh or cold demeanor.
The earliest recorded mention of the name can be traced back to the 12th century. In the Domesday Book of 1086, alternative spellings like Wintar and Wintre were found, which indicate regional linguistic variations over time.
One of the oldest records of a person with this surname is Robert Wynter, who was documented in the Curia Regis Rolls in 1205. Another early example includes John Wynter, listed in the Hundred Rolls of 1273. The name appears in various historical records, including parish registers, wills, and court documents, evidencing its enduring presence in England.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Wynter. One was Robert Wynter (c. 1560 - 1606), an English conspirator involved in the Gunpowder Plot. He was executed for his role in the attempt to blow up the House of Lords. Another prominent figure was Sir William Wynter (died 1589), an English naval commander during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was instrumental in the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588.
Moving to the 17th century, Anne Wynter née Cox, a British royal governess, was known for her service to the children of Queen Anne. Additionally, Mary Wynter, who passed away in 1599, was a philanthropic figure known for her charitable works in Gloucester.
In more recent historical contexts, Thomas Wynter, who served as a British politician in the early 18th century, is another example. His contributions to local legislative matters were well-documented, reflecting the ongoing prominence of the Wynter surname in various societal roles.
The Wynter surname has thus maintained a significant presence throughout English history, reflecting a rich tapestry of social, political, and cultural contributions over the centuries.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wynter
Among Census respondents with the surname Wynter, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and White (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Wynter 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 Wynter surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American84.0% · 1,555
- Hispanic or Latino5.5% · 102
- White5.1% · 94
- Two or more races4.8% · 88
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 12
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wynter
Wynter 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
#16,909
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,684
+469 bearers (+38.6%)
Per 100,000 0.57
Rank movement Up 3,434 places
2020
#15,273
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 1,851
+167 bearers (+9.9%)
Per 100,000 0.62
Rank movement Up 1,636 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #20,343 | 1,215 | 0.45 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #16,909 | 1,684 | 0.57 | +469 bearers (+38.6%) | Up 3,434 places |
| 2020 | #15,273 | 1,851 | 0.62 | +167 bearers (+9.9%) | Up 1,636 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 Wynter 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 | #16,909 | #15,273 | 9.7% |
| Count | 1,684 | 1,851 | 9.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.57 | 0.62 | 8.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wynter bearers went from 1,684 to 1,851 (+9.9% change). The surname moved up 1,636 positions in the national ranking, going from #16,909 to #15,273.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Wynter
FAQ
Wynter surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wynter?
Name Census estimates that about 2,123 living Americans carry the surname Wynter. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 161,448 residents.
How common is Wynter?
Wynter ranks #15,273 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.62 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 1,851 people with the surname Wynter. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,123), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.62 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.62 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Wynter.
Has Wynter become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wynter went from 1,684 recorded bearers to 1,851. That is an increase of 167 (+9.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #16,909 to #15,273.
What does the Census say about the background of Wynter?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wynter, the largest self-reported group is Black at 84.0%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (5.5%) and White (5.1%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Wynter in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.0% (1,555 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wynter appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (84.0%), Hispanic (5.5%), White (5.1%). 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 Wynter (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 Wynter mean?
An English surname derived from Middle English referring to the winter season. 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 Wynter (0.62 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 common is the surname Wynter?
Want to know how common the surname Wynter is? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.