2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Wyvill
A surname derived from a locality name in Yorkshire, England.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Wyvill. 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 Wyvill 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 Wyvill with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
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 Wyvill 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 Wyvill, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Wyvill
The surname Wyvill is of English origin, dating back to the medieval period. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words 'wīf' meaning 'woman' and 'feld' meaning 'field' or 'open country.' Over time, these elements likely combined to describe a specific geographical location characterized by its open fields owned or managed by women, later evolving into a family name.
The area most strongly associated with the Wyvill surname is Yorkshire, England. The Domesday Book of 1086, an extensive record of landholding in England, mentions a similar place name, wifel, which could be tied to the development of the surname. Although the exact spelling Wyvill is not directly referenced in the Domesday Book, it bears sufficient phonetic resemblance to assert a link.
The earliest recorded instance of the Wyvill surname is found in the 13th century, particularly connected with individuals who either owned land or held notable titles within Yorkshire. Robert Wyvill (died 1375) is one of the earliest known bearers of this surname, who served as the Bishop of Salisbury from 1330 to 1375. His tenure as bishop was significant during a period of ecclesiastical and political evolution in England.
Another notable figure bearing the surname is Sir Christopher Wyvill, who lived during the 16th and early 17th centuries. Born in 1536 and dying in 1613, he was a prominent member of the English Parliament, representing Richmond, Yorkshire. He served multiple terms and was deeply involved in the politics of his time.
Moving forward in time, Sir Marmaduke Wyvill, 6th Baronet (1692-1754), stands out. He was a reputable English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Richmond for over two decades, playing an important role in the political landscape of early 18th century Britain.
Another illustrative bearer of the surname is Sir Charles Wyvill, who was active during the 19th century. Born in 1815, he was known for his contributions to English politics and his role as a magistrate in Yorkshire.
The last notable individual in this historical examination is the Reverend Christopher Lister Wyvill (1740-1822), who was a clergyman and political reformer. He is recognized for his active participation in the Yorkshire Association, an organization advocating for parliamentary reform in the late 18th century, greatly influencing the political reforms that followed.
The surname Wyvill has a rich historical background tied to notable regions and individuals, primarily centered in Yorkshire, England. From its early derivation from Old English terms to its prominence in medieval and early modern England through various influential figures, the name Wyvill encapsulates a fascinating segment of English heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Wyvill
Among Census respondents with the surname Wyvill, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Wyvill 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 Wyvill surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White97.3% · 109
- Black or African American1.8% · 2
- Two or more races0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Wyvill
Wyvill 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
#148,347
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,591 places
2020
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
+1 bearers (+0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 393 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #148,347 | 111 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,591 places |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | +1 bearers (+0.9%) | Up 393 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 Wyvill 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 | #148,347 | #147,954 | 0.3% |
| Count | 111 | 112 | 0.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Wyvill bearers went from 111 to 112 (+0.9% change). The surname moved up 393 positions in the national ranking, going from #148,347 to #147,954.
FAQ
Wyvill surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Wyvill?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Wyvill. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Wyvill?
Wyvill 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 Wyvill. 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 Wyvill.
Has Wyvill become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Wyvill went from 111 recorded bearers to 112. That is an increase of 1 (+0.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #148,347 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Wyvill?
Among Census respondents with the surname Wyvill, the largest self-reported group is White at 97.3%. The next largest groups are Black (1.8%) and Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Wyvill in the 2020 Census, accounting for 97.3% (109 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Wyvill appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (97.3%), Black (1.8%), Two or More Races (0.9%). 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 Wyvill (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 Wyvill mean?
A surname derived from a locality name in Yorkshire, England. 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 Wyvill (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 common is the surname Wyvill?
You can see how many people are called Wyvill on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.